U.S. administration sources downplay prospect of rigging oil futures market

Construe this to mean that if the U.S. government decides to manipulate the oil futures market, it will be done surreptitiously, as it has been done surreptitiously with the gold market, since open and public manipulation would fool no one. * * * Trump Team Downplays Oil Futures Trading to Relieve Prices By Jennifer A Dlouhy Bloomberg News Friday, March 6, 2026 Trump administration officials aren't prioritizing having the Treasury Department trade oil futures as the White House weighs a long list of options to relieve pressure on global energy prices, according to a person familiar with the matter. Administration officials have discussed getting the Treasury Department involved in selling and buying energy futures but believe the agency's ability to meaningfully affect the market is limited, said the person, who requested anonymity to discuss private conversations. ... Dispatch continues below ... ... ADVERTISEMENT ... Ireland's Tree of Life Gold and Silver Coins Are Available from Money Metals Exchange For Delivery or Secure Storage in Idaho Money Metals Exchange and Tara Coins, supporters of sound money and GATA, are selling Ireland's Tree of Life Gold and Silver Coins, non-legal tender, for U.S. and international delivery or secure storage in the ultra-secure MMX vault in Eagle, Idaho: https://www.moneymetals.com/taracoins The Gold and Silver Trees of Life can be bought directly by retail stackers, retail distributors, and wholesale dealers. The Gold Trees (.9999 purity) are in 1-ounce, 0.25-ounce, and 0.1-ounce sizes, and the Silver Trees (.999 purity) in 1-ounce size. All are approved for individual retirement accounts. Tara Coins is a designer, wholesaler, and retailer of Irish bullion products, selling beautiful, store-of-value, 99.99% pure Irish silver and gold bullion. The Gold Trees of Life are the first 99.99%-pure Irish bullion coins and are beautiful and truly sovereign (non-legal tender) coins. For more information, visit Ireland Trees of Life at Money Metals Exchange -- https://www.moneymetals.com/search?q=tree+of+life -- or contact Shane Lee at [email protected] or 1-800-800-1865. Daily activity in the oil futures market has ballooned amid the conflict, diluting the potential impact of any one participant, the person said. The administration is also hesitant to tap the Strategic Petroleum Reserve right away because it was heavily utilized under former President Joe Biden, leaving it now only about 60% full, the person said. Damage caused by frequent withdrawals and the need for deferred maintenance pose additional complications. However, if the administration opts to eventually pull that lever, even releasing a modest amount can send a big signal to calm markets. ... ... For the remainder of the report: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-03-06/trump-team-downplays-treasury-oil-futures-trades-as-prices-surge * * * Support GATA by purchasing Stuart Englert's "Rigged" "Rigged" is a concise explanation of government's currency market rigging policy and extensively credits GATA's work exposing it. Ten percent of sales proceeds are contributed to GATA. Buy a copy for $14.99 through Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/3xt6uw66 * * * Help keep GATA going: GATA is a civil rights and educational organization based in the United States and tax-exempt under the U.S. Internal Revenue Code. Its e-mail dispatches are free, and you can subscribe at: http://www.gata.org To contribute to GATA, please visit: http://www.gata.org/node/16 Donations of $500 or more will entitle the donor to a 1-ounce silver round commemorating GATA's work: https://www.gata.org/sites/default/files/GATA-silver-round-front.png