Is This Market Manipulation?

Mad Monday March 23rd, 2026 and the markets were absolutely wild this morning.

Early signs pointed to serious instability, not just in oil, but in the bond market. The 10-year Treasury yield surged to 4.45%, signaling deeper financial stress. Analysts warned that the bond market was becoming a bigger threat than energy prices.

Then, everything shifted.

Within hours, President Donald Trump intervened, postponing planned strikes on Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure for five days. The decision followed warnings that continued escalation could trigger major market fallout.

And that’s when the most important move happened:

Oil prices dropped.

Not slightly, sharply.

Brent crude futures plunged as much as 14% at one point, before stabilizing. Even after recovering some ground, prices were still down significantly from their peak.

Let that sink in.

Oil prices didn’t rise with tension, they dropped the moment policy shifted. 

That drop wasn’t random. It came right after signals that escalation might pause. It came before markets fully opened. And it came as investors recalibrated expectations around war risk and supply disruption.

But the story doesn’t end there.

Within minutes, Iran denied that any real negotiations were taking place. That uncertainty caused oil prices to rebound partially, erasing nearly half of their losses.

Still, even after the rebound, crude hovered around $90 per barrel, down from the highs, but far from stable.

Gas prices are pushing toward $4 per gallon nationally, with some states far exceeding that. In California, prices are nearing $6 per gallon.

And when oil spikes, or even stays elevated those costs ripple outward:

• Truckers pay more for diesel

• Businesses pay more to transport goods

• Consumers pay more for everything they need on a daily basis. 

One truck driver reported spending $1,800 in diesel in a single week, a 40% increase from normal costs.

That cost doesn’t disappear. It gets passed down the chain.

At a recent town hall, a young worker asked a simple question:

“How does a war halfway across the world help me?”. 

It’s a question many Americans are asking, especially as prices rise at the pump, in grocery stores, and even at fast-food counters.

Officials continue to frame the situation as:

“Short-term pain for long-term gain.” lies. 

But markets operate in real time, and so do people’s lives.

Analysts suggest there may be a two-week window to stabilize the situation. If tensions around the Strait of Hormuz continue, oil prices could spike again. This price gyrations are hurting and not helping anybody around the world. 

So, is this market manipulation? Yes, if you ask me. Somebody is always benefiting whether the prices are going up or down. 

But to many, there are no clear evidence of deliberate manipulation.

But the timing is hard to ignore:

• Policy shifts

• Market reactions

• Oil price swings

All happening within hours.

But don't forget, whether you support this government or not, we are all going to feel their policy impacts. 

Stay sharp!

Pal Ronnie