COT Energy Speculators cut back on WTI Crude Oil bullish bets for 4th straight week

December 11, 2021

By InvestMacro | COT | Data Tables | COT Leaders | Downloads | COT Newsletter

Here are the latest charts and statistics for the Commitment of Traders (COT) data published by the Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).

The latest COT data is updated through Tuesday December 7th 2021 and shows a quick view of how large traders (for-profit speculators and commercial entities) were positioned in the futures markets.

Highlighting this week’s COT energy data is the recent decline in the WTI Crude Oil futures bets. The speculative net position in the WTI Crude Oil futures has now fallen for four consecutive weeks and in six out of the past seven weeks. The spec crude position has dropped by a total of -62,362 contracts over these past seven weeks and speculators have now pushed their current net positioning to the lowest level since September 21st, a span of eleven weeks.

Joining WTI Crude Oil (-20,002 contracts) with decreasing bets this week are Brent Crude Oil (-4,952 contracts), Heating Oil (-2,628 contracts) and the Bloomberg Commodity Index (-4,473 contracts). The energy markets with gaining positions this week were Natural Gas (235 contracts) and Gasoline (4,269 contracts).


Data Snapshot of Commodity Market Traders | Columns Legend
Dec-07-2021 OI OI-Index Spec-Net Spec-Index Com-Net COM-Index Smalls-Net Smalls-Index
WTI Crude 1,972,536 3 367,232 29 -400,431 62 33,199 62
Gold 499,307 23 217,185 57 -245,623 43 28,438 45
Silver 136,572 4 29,833 52 -43,148 57 13,315 17
Copper 173,954 8 7,204 48 -14,219 50 7,015 66
Palladium 9,253 12 -2,731 4 3,036 97 -305 27
Platinum 65,134 30 6,062 11 -12,138 92 6,076 47
Natural Gas 1,205,626 20 -132,443 39 99,372 62 33,071 63
Brent 211,254 48 -20,446 84 17,107 17 3,339 55
Heating Oil 298,997 0 8,597 55 -21,351 49 12,754 43
Soybeans 672,116 15 59,654 45 -22,744 60 -36,910 10
Corn 1,430,401 9 410,814 83 -367,873 20 -42,941 18
Coffee 265,046 33 62,344 94 -65,596 8 3,252 11
Sugar 857,621 8 191,239 76 -221,289 26 30,050 45
Wheat 359,186 12 15,667 60 -8,386 33 -7,281 67

 


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WTI Crude Oil Futures:

The WTI Crude Oil Futures large speculator standing this week was a net position of 367,232 contracts in the data reported through Tuesday. This was a weekly decrease of -20,002 contracts from the previous week which had a total of 387,234 net contracts.

This week’s current strength score (the trader positioning range over the past three years, measured from 0 to 100) shows the speculators are currently Bearish with a score of 28.8 percent. The commercials are Bullish with a score of 62.4 percent and the small traders (not shown in chart) are Bullish with a score of 61.8 percent.

WTI Crude Oil Futures Statistics SPECULATORS COMMERCIALS SMALL TRADERS
– Percent of Open Interest Longs: 25.0 36.7 4.2
– Percent of Open Interest Shorts: 6.4 57.0 2.5
– Net Position: 367,232 -400,431 33,199
– Gross Longs: 492,585 724,626 82,580
– Gross Shorts: 125,353 1,125,057 49,381
– Long to Short Ratio: 3.9 to 1 0.6 to 1 1.7 to 1
NET POSITION TREND:
– Strength Index Score (3 Year Range Pct): 28.8 62.4 61.8
– Strength Index Reading (3 Year Range): Bearish Bullish Bullish
NET POSITION MOVEMENT INDEX:
– 6-Week Change in Strength Index: -18.1 21.6 -21.9

 


Brent Crude Oil Futures:

The Brent Crude Oil Futures large speculator standing this week was a net position of -20,446 contracts in the data reported through Tuesday. This was a weekly reduction of -4,952 contracts from the previous week which had a total of -15,494 net contracts.

This week’s current strength score (the trader positioning range over the past three years, measured from 0 to 100) shows the speculators are currently Bullish-Extreme with a score of 84.2 percent. The commercials are Bearish-Extreme with a score of 17.1 percent and the small traders (not shown in chart) are Bullish with a score of 54.5 percent.

Brent Crude Oil Futures Statistics SPECULATORS COMMERCIALS SMALL TRADERS
– Percent of Open Interest Longs: 21.6 44.2 3.6
– Percent of Open Interest Shorts: 31.3 36.1 2.0
– Net Position: -20,446 17,107 3,339
– Gross Longs: 45,573 93,348 7,669
– Gross Shorts: 66,019 76,241 4,330
– Long to Short Ratio: 0.7 to 1 1.2 to 1 1.8 to 1
NET POSITION TREND:
– Strength Index Score (3 Year Range Pct): 84.2 17.1 54.5
– Strength Index Reading (3 Year Range): Bullish-Extreme Bearish-Extreme Bullish
NET POSITION MOVEMENT INDEX:
– 6-Week Change in Strength Index: -4.8 7.8 -24.6

 


Natural Gas Futures:

The Natural Gas Futures large speculator standing this week was a net position of -132,443 contracts in the data reported through Tuesday. This was a weekly lift of 235 contracts from the previous week which had a total of -132,678 net contracts.

This week’s current strength score (the trader positioning range over the past three years, measured from 0 to 100) shows the speculators are currently Bearish with a score of 38.8 percent. The commercials are Bullish with a score of 62.2 percent and the small traders (not shown in chart) are Bullish with a score of 62.7 percent.

Natural Gas Futures Statistics SPECULATORS COMMERCIALS SMALL TRADERS
– Percent of Open Interest Longs: 19.3 43.5 4.6
– Percent of Open Interest Shorts: 30.3 35.2 1.9
– Net Position: -132,443 99,372 33,071
– Gross Longs: 233,007 524,229 55,682
– Gross Shorts: 365,450 424,857 22,611
– Long to Short Ratio: 0.6 to 1 1.2 to 1 2.5 to 1
NET POSITION TREND:
– Strength Index Score (3 Year Range Pct): 38.8 62.2 62.7
– Strength Index Reading (3 Year Range): Bearish Bullish Bullish
NET POSITION MOVEMENT INDEX:
– 6-Week Change in Strength Index: 1.7 1.0 -22.1

 


Gasoline Blendstock Futures:

The Gasoline Blendstock Futures large speculator standing this week was a net position of 49,883 contracts in the data reported through Tuesday. This was a weekly increase of 4,269 contracts from the previous week which had a total of 45,614 net contracts.

This week’s current strength score (the trader positioning range over the past three years, measured from 0 to 100) shows the speculators are currently Bearish with a score of 20.9 percent. The commercials are Bullish-Extreme with a score of 82.9 percent and the small traders (not shown in chart) are Bearish with a score of 36.7 percent.

Nasdaq Mini Futures Statistics SPECULATORS COMMERCIALS SMALL TRADERS
– Percent of Open Interest Longs: 30.4 48.5 5.7
– Percent of Open Interest Shorts: 13.4 66.9 4.3
– Net Position: 49,883 -54,093 4,210
– Gross Longs: 89,156 142,169 16,850
– Gross Shorts: 39,273 196,262 12,640
– Long to Short Ratio: 2.3 to 1 0.7 to 1 1.3 to 1
NET POSITION TREND:
– Strength Index Score (3 Year Range Pct): 20.9 82.9 36.7
– Strength Index Reading (3 Year Range): Bearish Bullish-Extreme Bearish
NET POSITION MOVEMENT INDEX:
– 6-Week Change in Strength Index: -1.2 7.1 -35.4

 


#2 Heating Oil NY-Harbor Futures:

The #2 Heating Oil NY-Harbor Futures large speculator standing this week was a net position of 8,597 contracts in the data reported through Tuesday. This was a weekly decline of -2,628 contracts from the previous week which had a total of 11,225 net contracts.

This week’s current strength score (the trader positioning range over the past three years, measured from 0 to 100) shows the speculators are currently Bullish with a score of 55.1 percent. The commercials are Bearish with a score of 48.5 percent and the small traders (not shown in chart) are Bearish with a score of 42.5 percent.

Heating Oil Futures Statistics SPECULATORS COMMERCIALS SMALL TRADERS
– Percent of Open Interest Longs: 13.3 53.4 12.9
– Percent of Open Interest Shorts: 10.5 60.6 8.7
– Net Position: 8,597 -21,351 12,754
– Gross Longs: 39,877 159,783 38,689
– Gross Shorts: 31,280 181,134 25,935
– Long to Short Ratio: 1.3 to 1 0.9 to 1 1.5 to 1
NET POSITION TREND:
– Strength Index Score (3 Year Range Pct): 55.1 48.5 42.5
– Strength Index Reading (3 Year Range): Bullish Bearish Bearish
NET POSITION MOVEMENT INDEX:
– 6-Week Change in Strength Index: -25.3 30.2 -38.4

 


Bloomberg Commodity Index Futures:

The Bloomberg Commodity Index Futures large speculator standing this week was a net position of -16,421 contracts in the data reported through Tuesday. This was a weekly fall of -4,473 contracts from the previous week which had a total of -11,948 net contracts.

This week’s current strength score (the trader positioning range over the past three years, measured from 0 to 100) shows the speculators are currently Bearish with a score of 44.7 percent. The commercials are Bullish with a score of 54.3 percent and the small traders (not shown in chart) are Bearish with a score of 48.7 percent.

Bloomberg Index Futures Statistics SPECULATORS COMMERCIALS SMALL TRADERS
– Percent of Open Interest Longs: 59.0 37.1 1.2
– Percent of Open Interest Shorts: 93.0 4.2 0.1
– Net Position: -16,421 15,865 556
– Gross Longs: 28,421 17,881 597
– Gross Shorts: 44,842 2,016 41
– Long to Short Ratio: 0.6 to 1 8.9 to 1 14.6 to 1
NET POSITION TREND:
– Strength Index Score (3 Year Range Pct): 44.7 54.3 48.7
– Strength Index Reading (3 Year Range): Bearish Bullish Bearish
NET POSITION MOVEMENT INDEX:
– 6-Week Change in Strength Index: -4.8 5.0 -2.6

 


Article By InvestMacroReceive our weekly COT Reports by Email

*COT Report: The COT data, released weekly to the public each Friday, is updated through the most recent Tuesday (data is 3 days old) and shows a quick view of how large speculators or non-commercials (for-profit traders) were positioned in the futures markets.

The CFTC categorizes trader positions according to commercial hedgers (traders who use futures contracts for hedging as part of the business), non-commercials (large traders who speculate to realize trading profits) and nonreportable traders (usually small traders/speculators) as well as their open interest (contracts open in the market at time of reporting).See CFTC criteria here.

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