International Cotton Market

22-Mar-2025 08:55 AM

International Cotton Market
ICE cotton futures closed lower in Friday’s session, with contracts ending down by 70 to 81 points. May futures have dropped a total of 210 points since last Friday. External market factors were mixed—crude oil futures rose by 30 cents per barrel, while the U.S. Dollar Index increased by $0.293.
For the 2024/25 marketing year, total cotton export commitments have reached 10.225 million running bales (RB), which is 5% lower compared to the same period last year. However, this represents 99% of the USDA's full-year export estimate, aligning with the average pace of sales.
According to the Commitment of Traders (COT) report released by the CFTC on Friday, managed money reduced its net short positions in cotton futures and options by 6,793 contracts as of March 18. As of Tuesday, their total net short position stood at 69,617 contracts.
On The Seam, only light trading activity was recorded on Thursday, with just 285 bales sold online at an average price of 49.08 cents per pound. The Cotlook A Index remained unchanged on March 20, holding steady at 78.50 cents per pound.
ICE cotton stocks were also unchanged on March 20, with certified stocks standing at 14,488 bales. The USDA’s Adjusted World Price (AWP) increased by 87 points on Thursday afternoon, bringing it up to 54.63 cents per pound.