TechFlow News, April 22: Just 15 minutes before U.S. President Trump announced the extension of the ceasefire agreement with Iran, the market saw a massive $430 million short position on crude oil—sparking strong suspicions of potential insider trading. Data shows this marks the third such instance this month and the fourth since the outbreak of the conflict—each time featuring large-scale, “precisely timed” trades immediately prior to major Middle East developments:
On March 23, approximately $500 million was wagered against rising oil prices just 15 minutes before Trump announced the postponement of strikes on Iranian power facilities;
Several hours before the ceasefire agreement was announced on April 7, a $950 million short position was established in advance;
About 20 minutes before Iran announced the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz on April 17, $760 million was bet on falling oil prices;
So far this April, the cumulative value of such trades has reached approximately $2.1 billion.
The repeated occurrence of these “event-anticipating” trades has drawn market attention to risks of information leaks and regulatory arbitrage. Analysts point out that, against a backdrop of heightened geopolitical sensitivity, if such trading involves the use of non-public information, it could severely undermine market fairness.
