The United States government has launched a thorough investigation into transactions made by at least three investment firms following an unexplained surge in oil futures trading. This sudden spike in market activity occurred just minutes before U.S. President Donald Trump announced a delay in strikes on Iran's energy infrastructure. According to the Wall Street Journal, citing sources, the regulator responsible for overseeing futures markets is attempting to determine whether insider trading occurred.

The incident occurred on March 23, when President Trump wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social, that he had instructed the Pentagon to delay any strikes on Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure for five days. This announcement, as it turned out, preceded an abnormal activity in the oil market. In the minutes leading up to Trump's post, the trading volume for oil futures skyrocketed by an impressive amount of $800 million.

The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), the main regulatory body in this area, is now trying to determine whether anyone used insider information about the president's upcoming announcement or shared this information with third parties who may have engaged in transactions. As part of its investigation, the CFTC is interested in at least three specific firms.

 According to the WSJ, companies that were "on the right side" of this sharp price movement include:

Qube Research & Technologies (UK) - allegedly earned $5 million.
Forza Fund (UK) – reportedly made a profit of $10 million.
A division of the French oil company TotalEnergies made a profit of about 200 thousand dollars.
The profits of these companies were recorded after Trump's decision led to a 13% drop in oil prices.

It is important to note that none of the mentioned companies have been charged with any violations so far. The Wall Street Journal emphasizes that it may not be easy to determine the exact reason for the CFTC's interest in these trades. 

"The motivation behind any particular trade can be difficult to determine, and the line between luck and skill can be quite thin," the publication concludes, highlighting the complexity of identifying intentional insider trading in such situations. 

 The CFTC's investigation highlights the regulators' vigilance in addressing any potential market manipulation, particularly when it comes to events that could have significant geopolitical and economic implications.