Suspicious timing in oil markets: Half a billion dollars traded minutes before Trump's Iran announcement. Traders executed over 500 million dollars in contracts just 15 minutes before the president announced a five-day delay in planned military action against Iran. Following the announcement, Brent crude prices plummeted nearly 15 percent as markets priced in potential de-escalation. The trading activity was extraordinary, with 13 million barrels worth of contracts changing hands in a single minute. This raises questions about information flow and market timing. The Middle East conflict continues driving volatility, with global oil prices still over 40 percent above pre-war levels and trading volumes doubling in recent weeks amid persistent uncertainty.
