COT Energy Speculators trim Heating Oil’s bullish bets to lowest level since May

December 4, 2021

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 November 30th 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 heating oil speculator bets that fell for a seventh consecutive week. Speculator positions in heating oil have fallen by a total of -27,912 contracts over these past seven weeks and have declined sharply since reaching a multi-year bullish high in October. The heating oil speculator positioning has been bullish throughout the year and climbed to the multi-year high on October 12th with a total of 39,137 contracts. This was the most bullish standing in the past one hundred and fifty-six weeks, dating back all the way to October 16th of 2018. Since then, heating oil bets have streaked lower to the least bullish speculative level since May 11th at a total of just 11,225 contracts.


Data Snapshot of Commodity Market Traders | Columns Legend
Nov-30-2021 OI OI-Index Spec-Net Spec-Index Com-Net COM-Index Smalls-Net Smalls-Index
WTI Crude 2,033,286 14 387,234 35 -432,885 53 45,651 79
Gold 531,868 33 225,860 60 -258,603 39 32,743 57
Silver 138,003 5 38,434 61 -52,009 48 13,575 19
Copper 184,214 15 9,191 49 -15,763 49 6,572 63
Palladium 9,621 14 -2,973 2 3,277 98 -304 27
Platinum 62,385 26 8,948 15 -14,696 88 5,748 42
Natural Gas 1,269,879 36 -132,678 39 93,560 60 39,118 78
Brent 217,781 53 -15,494 93 12,212 8 3,282 54
Heating Oil 298,300 0 11,225 59 -26,834 43 15,609 52
Soybeans 671,433 15 55,317 44 -16,980 62 -38,337 8
Corn 1,405,105 5 394,912 80 -341,094 23 -53,818 12
Coffee 266,001 33 66,025 97 -69,144 6 3,119 10
Sugar 882,199 15 214,995 81 -242,927 22 27,932 42
Wheat 371,575 19 18,294 63 -10,430 31 -7,864 64

 


WTI Crude Oil Futures:

The WTI Crude Oil Futures large speculator standing this week totaled a net position of 387,234 contracts in the data reported through Tuesday. This was a weekly fall of -20,423 contracts from the previous week which had a total of 407,657 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 35.2 percent. The commercials are Bullish with a score of 52.7 percent and the small traders (not shown in chart) are Bullish with a score of 79.4 percent.


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WTI Crude Oil Futures Statistics SPECULATORS COMMERCIALS SMALL TRADERS
– Percent of Open Interest Longs: 25.2 34.9 5.6
– Percent of Open Interest Shorts: 6.1 56.2 3.4
– Net Position: 387,234 -432,885 45,651
– Gross Longs: 511,862 710,000 114,548
– Gross Shorts: 124,628 1,142,885 68,897
– Long to Short Ratio: 4.1 to 1 0.6 to 1 1.7 to 1
NET POSITION TREND:
– COT Index Score (3 Year Range Pct): 35.2 52.7 79.4
– COT Index Reading (3 Year Range): Bearish Bullish Bullish
NET POSITION MOVEMENT INDEX:
– 6-Week Change in Strength Index: -13.6 12.1 2.9

 


Brent Crude Oil Futures:

The Brent Crude Oil Futures large speculator standing this week totaled a net position of -15,494 contracts in the data reported through Tuesday. This was a weekly fall of -972 contracts from the previous week which had a total of -14,522 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 93.3 percent. The commercials are Bearish-Extreme with a score of 8.5 percent and the small traders (not shown in chart) are Bullish with a score of 53.7 percent.

Brent Crude Oil Futures Statistics SPECULATORS COMMERCIALS SMALL TRADERS
– Percent of Open Interest Longs: 20.3 43.3 3.5
– Percent of Open Interest Shorts: 27.4 37.7 2.0
– Net Position: -15,494 12,212 3,282
– Gross Longs: 44,183 94,392 7,626
– Gross Shorts: 59,677 82,180 4,344
– Long to Short Ratio: 0.7 to 1 1.1 to 1 1.8 to 1
NET POSITION TREND:
– COT Index Score (3 Year Range Pct): 93.3 8.5 53.7
– COT Index Reading (3 Year Range): Bullish-Extreme Bearish-Extreme Bullish
NET POSITION MOVEMENT INDEX:
– 6-Week Change in Strength Index: 23.0 -19.7 -17.9

 


Natural Gas Futures:

The Natural Gas Futures large speculator standing this week totaled a net position of -132,678 contracts in the data reported through Tuesday. This was a weekly rise of 4,577 contracts from the previous week which had a total of -137,255 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 60.4 percent and the small traders (not shown in chart) are Bullish with a score of 78.0 percent.

Natural Gas Futures Statistics SPECULATORS COMMERCIALS SMALL TRADERS
– Percent of Open Interest Longs: 19.4 43.2 4.8
– Percent of Open Interest Shorts: 29.9 35.8 1.7
– Net Position: -132,678 93,560 39,118
– Gross Longs: 246,559 548,661 60,357
– Gross Shorts: 379,237 455,101 21,239
– Long to Short Ratio: 0.7 to 1 1.2 to 1 2.8 to 1
NET POSITION TREND:
– COT Index Score (3 Year Range Pct): 38.8 60.4 78.0
– COT Index Reading (3 Year Range): Bearish Bullish Bullish
NET POSITION MOVEMENT INDEX:
– 6-Week Change in Strength Index: -0.5 2.2 -13.6

 


Gasoline Blendstock Futures:

The Gasoline Blendstock Futures large speculator standing this week totaled a net position of 45,614 contracts in the data reported through Tuesday. This was a weekly decrease of -10,380 contracts from the previous week which had a total of 55,994 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-Extreme with a score of 16.5 percent. The commercials are Bullish-Extreme with a score of 86.9 percent and the small traders (not shown in chart) are Bearish with a score of 38.7 percent.

Nasdaq Mini Futures Statistics SPECULATORS COMMERCIALS SMALL TRADERS
– Percent of Open Interest Longs: 32.5 46.9 6.4
– Percent of Open Interest Shorts: 16.5 64.5 4.8
– Net Position: 45,614 -50,163 4,549
– Gross Longs: 92,808 133,858 18,336
– Gross Shorts: 47,194 184,021 13,787
– Long to Short Ratio: 2.0 to 1 0.7 to 1 1.3 to 1
NET POSITION TREND:
– COT Index Score (3 Year Range Pct): 16.5 86.9 38.7
– COT Index Reading (3 Year Range): Bearish-Extreme Bullish-Extreme Bearish
NET POSITION MOVEMENT INDEX:
– 6-Week Change in Strength Index: -3.1 7.9 -28.9

 


#2 Heating Oil NY-Harbor Futures:

The #2 Heating Oil NY-Harbor Futures large speculator standing this week totaled a net position of 11,225 contracts in the data reported through Tuesday. This was a weekly decrease of -4,406 contracts from the previous week which had a total of 15,631 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 58.9 percent. The commercials are Bearish with a score of 42.7 percent and the small traders (not shown in chart) are Bullish with a score of 52.4 percent.

Heating Oil Futures Statistics SPECULATORS COMMERCIALS SMALL TRADERS
– Percent of Open Interest Longs: 14.0 49.1 13.5
– Percent of Open Interest Shorts: 10.3 58.1 8.3
– Net Position: 11,225 -26,834 15,609
– Gross Longs: 41,864 146,392 40,262
– Gross Shorts: 30,639 173,226 24,653
– Long to Short Ratio: 1.4 to 1 0.8 to 1 1.6 to 1
NET POSITION TREND:
– COT Index Score (3 Year Range Pct): 58.9 42.7 52.4
– COT Index Reading (3 Year Range): Bullish Bearish Bullish
NET POSITION MOVEMENT INDEX:
– 6-Week Change in Strength Index: -22.4 25.0 -28.4

 


Bloomberg Commodity Index Futures:

The Bloomberg Commodity Index Futures large speculator standing this week totaled a net position of -11,948 contracts in the data reported through Tuesday. This was a weekly increase of 1,979 contracts from the previous week which had a total of -13,927 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 61.8 percent. The commercials are Bearish with a score of 37.1 percent and the small traders (not shown in chart) are Bearish with a score of 49.3 percent.

Bloomberg Index Futures Statistics SPECULATORS COMMERCIALS SMALL TRADERS
– Percent of Open Interest Longs: 60.9 34.1 1.6
– Percent of Open Interest Shorts: 91.3 5.1 0.2
– Net Position: -11,948 11,380 568
– Gross Longs: 23,942 13,396 627
– Gross Shorts: 35,890 2,016 59
– Long to Short Ratio: 0.7 to 1 6.6 to 1 10.6 to 1
NET POSITION TREND:
– COT Index Score (3 Year Range Pct): 61.8 37.1 49.3
– COT Index Reading (3 Year Range): Bullish Bearish Bearish
NET POSITION MOVEMENT INDEX:
– 6-Week Change in Strength Index: 17.5 -17.7 1.5

 


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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