Updated
Updated · Bloomberg · Jun 22
Hedge Funds Boost WTI Short Bets by 10,865 Lots as US-Iran Peace Deal Nears
Updated
Updated · Bloomberg · Jun 22

Hedge Funds Boost WTI Short Bets by 10,865 Lots as US-Iran Peace Deal Nears

3 articles · Updated · Bloomberg · Jun 22

Summary

  • Gross short positions in West Texas Intermediate rose by 10,865 lots in the week ended June 16, lifting hedge funds' bearish bets to 102,895 lots.
  • That total is the highest for short-only WTI positions since Jan. 27, signaling traders expect a preliminary Washington-Tehran peace memorandum to ease supply risks.
  • The bet hinges on stronger Middle East oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz, a key route whose disruption had supported prices during the US-Iran war.
  • The positioning marks a sharp shift from war-driven supply fears toward expectations of looser crude balances if the deal advances.

Insights

With record bearish bets on oil, are traders ignoring the real-world risks of a fragile Middle East peace deal?
If the Iran peace deal fails, how high could oil prices surge from the resulting historic short squeeze?