US President Donald Trump walks on the South Lawn of the White House after arriving on Marine One in Washington, DC, US, on Sunday, April 12, 2026. Trump attacked Pope Leo XIV for his criticisms of the US-Israeli war on Iran, calling the leader of the Catholic Church “WEAK on crime.” Photographer: Bonnie Cash/UPI/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesBloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesU.S. derivatives regulators are examining a handful of unusual oil futures trades that took place minutes before a surprise announcement by President Donald Trump signaling a pause in attacks on Iran, according to Bloomberg News.The investigation is being spearheaded by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, which is scrutinizing activity on trading venues run by CME Group and Intercontinental Exchange, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the matter. Both exchanges have been asked to turn over pertinent records.Regulators are zeroing in on at least two instances over a roughly two-week period when trading volumes jumped sharply just ahead of key announcements. The information sought includes so-called Tag 50 identifiers, which can be used to determine who was behind the trades, the people said.The CFTC declined to comment. CME didn’t specifically comment on the unusual trades tied to Trump’s announcement, but the exchange said that any investigation should also include new platforms such as participants like prediction markets.”Nothing is more important than market integrity,” a spokesperson at CME told CNBC. “We vigorously surveil our markets and work closely with the CFTC to oversee trading activity. Importantly, any review of market behavior must include all venues, including prediction markets like Polymarket and Kalshi that list related products with little to no visibility.”ICE didn’t immediately respond to a CNBC request for comment.CNBC previously reported on the suspicious activity on March 23 when S&P 5 …
