(no subject)

[timelets]

This could end up as another Watergate moment in US history

https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/stock-market-today-dow-sp-500-nasdaq-03-24-2026/card/mystery-jump-in-oil-trading-ahead-of-trump-post-draws-scrutiny-56sgwdXtlOlonqIKDsL6

During the two-minute period between 6:49 am and 6:51 am ET on Monday, about 7,200 contracts in Brent and West Texas Intermediate oil futures, with a notional value of more than $760 million, changed hands, according to Dow Jones Market Data. There was no apparent news that prompted the surge in trading activity. About 15 minutes later, Trump’s post triggered a huge drop in oil prices and a jump in the S&P 500.

A similar burst of activity took place at the same time in S&P 500 futures. It’s impossible to tell from the public market who was behind the trades, or how many traders were involved. Oil prices didn’t move appreciably during the 6:50 am ET volume jump, which was dwarfed by the tidal wave of trading activity that followed Trump’s post.

Similar bursts of trading volume have preceded other market-moving Trump posts. Last April, a flurry of activity in bullish call options took place just minutes before Trump announced a pause of his sweeping "Liberation Day" tariffs.