COT Energy Speculators drop their Heating Oil bullish bets to 6-week low

February 12, 2022

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 February 8th 2022 and shows a quick view of how large traders (for-profit speculators and commercial entities) were positioned in the futures markets.

Highlighting the COT energy data is the recent slide in the Heating Oil futures bets. The speculative net position in the #2 Heating Oil NY-Harbor futures has fallen for three out of the past four weeks and for thirteen out of the past seventeen weeks. These decreases have brought the overall net standing for heating oil to just +6,455 contracts, the lowest level since late December. Heating oil contracts have been in positive bullish territory for sixty-seven straight weeks, dating back to October of 2020. The most recent high was a total of +39,137 contracts on October 12th of 2021 but contracts have been on a downtrend since then. The heating oil price, meanwhile, has been on a sharp uptrend (like most energy prices) so there is a divergence at the current moment between the speculators (typically trend followers) and the price direction.

The markets with rising speculator bets this week were Natural Gas (4,921 contracts) and the Bloomberg Commodity Index (2,430 contracts) while WTI Crude Oil (-5,521 contracts), Brent Crude Oil (-7,403 contracts), Heating Oil (-9,228 contracts) and Gasoline (-2,600 contracts) fell.


Data Snapshot of Commodity Market Traders | Columns Legend
Feb-08-2022 OI OI-Index Spec-Net Spec-Index Com-Net COM-Index Smalls-Net Smalls-Index
WTI Crude 2,170,681 46 363,383 18 -412,144 69 48,761 84
Gold 512,842 23 186,706 47 -211,434 53 24,728 34
Silver 147,379 14 19,299 42 -32,571 67 13,272 20
Copper 201,860 28 18,855 56 -25,523 42 6,668 64
Palladium 7,497 5 -1,230 14 1,035 83 195 56
Platinum 58,766 20 11,759 19 -16,638 85 4,879 30
Natural Gas 1,133,934 6 -115,089 44 85,151 58 29,938 55
Brent 208,578 46 -26,323 73 22,725 27 3,598 58
Heating Oil 349,618 31 6,455 52 -32,434 37 25,979 88
Soybeans 832,618 52 209,730 82 -176,080 24 -33,650 14
Corn 1,575,318 34 419,602 84 -382,874 17 -36,728 22
Coffee 273,102 39 66,867 97 -72,255 3 5,388 26
Sugar 931,602 25 79,090 53 -96,963 50 17,873 30
Wheat 385,172 26 -3,578 44 7,972 49 -4,394 81

 


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WTI Crude Oil Futures:

The WTI Crude Oil Futures large speculator standing this week recorded a net position of 363,383 contracts in the data reported through Tuesday. This was a weekly decrease of -5,521 contracts from the previous week which had a total of 368,904 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 17.9 percent. The commercials are Bullish with a score of 68.6 percent and the small traders (not shown in chart) are Bullish-Extreme with a score of 83.7 percent.

WTI Crude Oil Futures Statistics SPECULATORS COMMERCIALS SMALL TRADERS
– Percent of Open Interest Longs: 22.1 35.1 4.9
– Percent of Open Interest Shorts: 5.4 54.1 2.6
– Net Position: 363,383 -412,144 48,761
– Gross Longs: 480,560 762,286 105,794
– Gross Shorts: 117,177 1,174,430 57,033
– Long to Short Ratio: 4.1 to 1 0.6 to 1 1.9 to 1
NET POSITION TREND:
– Strength Index Score (3 Year Range Pct): 17.9 68.6 83.7
– Strength Index Reading (3 Year Range): Bearish-Extreme Bullish Bullish-Extreme
NET POSITION MOVEMENT INDEX:
– 6-Week Change in Strength Index: 9.1 -13.6 19.9

 


Brent Crude Oil Futures:

The Brent Crude Oil Futures large speculator standing this week recorded a net position of -26,323 contracts in the data reported through Tuesday. This was a weekly lowering of -7,403 contracts from the previous week which had a total of -18,920 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 72.6 percent. The commercials are Bearish with a score of 27.5 percent and the small traders (not shown in chart) are Bullish with a score of 57.9 percent.

Brent Crude Oil Futures Statistics SPECULATORS COMMERCIALS SMALL TRADERS
– Percent of Open Interest Longs: 18.6 47.8 4.4
– Percent of Open Interest Shorts: 31.2 36.9 2.7
– Net Position: -26,323 22,725 3,598
– Gross Longs: 38,825 99,625 9,166
– Gross Shorts: 65,148 76,900 5,568
– Long to Short Ratio: 0.6 to 1 1.3 to 1 1.6 to 1
NET POSITION TREND:
– Strength Index Score (3 Year Range Pct): 72.6 27.5 57.9
– Strength Index Reading (3 Year Range): Bullish Bearish Bullish
NET POSITION MOVEMENT INDEX:
– 6-Week Change in Strength Index: -10.2 9.0 6.4

 


Natural Gas Futures:

The Natural Gas Futures large speculator standing this week recorded a net position of -115,089 contracts in the data reported through Tuesday. This was a weekly gain of 4,921 contracts from the previous week which had a total of -120,010 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 44.0 percent. The commercials are Bullish with a score of 57.7 percent and the small traders (not shown in chart) are Bullish with a score of 54.8 percent.

Natural Gas Futures Statistics SPECULATORS COMMERCIALS SMALL TRADERS
– Percent of Open Interest Longs: 21.2 41.5 5.1
– Percent of Open Interest Shorts: 31.4 33.9 2.5
– Net Position: -115,089 85,151 29,938
– Gross Longs: 240,829 470,065 57,837
– Gross Shorts: 355,918 384,914 27,899
– Long to Short Ratio: 0.7 to 1 1.2 to 1 2.1 to 1
NET POSITION TREND:
– Strength Index Score (3 Year Range Pct): 44.0 57.7 54.8
– Strength Index Reading (3 Year Range): Bearish Bullish Bullish
NET POSITION MOVEMENT INDEX:
– 6-Week Change in Strength Index: 9.4 -9.6 -1.7

 


Gasoline Blendstock Futures:

The Gasoline Blendstock Futures large speculator standing this week recorded a net position of 62,752 contracts in the data reported through Tuesday. This was a weekly reduction of -2,600 contracts from the previous week which had a total of 65,352 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 34.0 percent. The commercials are Bullish with a score of 64.4 percent and the small traders (not shown in chart) are Bullish with a score of 70.4 percent.

Nasdaq Mini Futures Statistics SPECULATORS COMMERCIALS SMALL TRADERS
– Percent of Open Interest Longs: 28.0 49.5 6.2
– Percent of Open Interest Shorts: 11.8 68.3 3.7
– Net Position: 62,752 -72,595 9,843
– Gross Longs: 108,363 191,576 24,008
– Gross Shorts: 45,611 264,171 14,165
– Long to Short Ratio: 2.4 to 1 0.7 to 1 1.7 to 1
NET POSITION TREND:
– Strength Index Score (3 Year Range Pct): 34.0 64.4 70.4
– Strength Index Reading (3 Year Range): Bearish Bullish Bullish
NET POSITION MOVEMENT INDEX:
– 6-Week Change in Strength Index: 5.6 -9.3 22.4

 


#2 Heating Oil NY-Harbor Futures:

The #2 Heating Oil NY-Harbor Futures large speculator standing this week recorded a net position of 6,455 contracts in the data reported through Tuesday. This was a weekly decrease of -9,228 contracts from the previous week which had a total of 15,683 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 51.9 percent. The commercials are Bearish with a score of 36.7 percent and the small traders (not shown in chart) are Bullish-Extreme with a score of 88.4 percent.

Heating Oil Futures Statistics SPECULATORS COMMERCIALS SMALL TRADERS
– Percent of Open Interest Longs: 17.0 50.8 14.4
– Percent of Open Interest Shorts: 15.1 60.1 6.9
– Net Position: 6,455 -32,434 25,979
– Gross Longs: 59,340 177,626 50,210
– Gross Shorts: 52,885 210,060 24,231
– Long to Short Ratio: 1.1 to 1 0.8 to 1 2.1 to 1
NET POSITION TREND:
– Strength Index Score (3 Year Range Pct): 51.9 36.7 88.4
– Strength Index Reading (3 Year Range): Bullish Bearish Bullish-Extreme
NET POSITION MOVEMENT INDEX:
– 6-Week Change in Strength Index: 4.2 -10.3 23.6

 


Bloomberg Commodity Index Futures:

The Bloomberg Commodity Index Futures large speculator standing this week recorded a net position of -12,468 contracts in the data reported through Tuesday. This was a weekly advance of 2,430 contracts from the previous week which had a total of -14,898 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 59.8 percent. The commercials are Bearish with a score of 38.9 percent and the small traders (not shown in chart) are Bearish with a score of 41.6 percent.

Bloomberg Index Futures Statistics SPECULATORS COMMERCIALS SMALL TRADERS
– Percent of Open Interest Longs: 68.4 27.4 1.5
– Percent of Open Interest Shorts: 95.8 1.4 0.1
– Net Position: -12,468 11,845 623
– Gross Longs: 31,105 12,468 670
– Gross Shorts: 43,573 623 47
– Long to Short Ratio: 0.7 to 1 20.0 to 1 14.3 to 1
NET POSITION TREND:
– Strength Index Score (3 Year Range Pct): 59.8 38.9 41.6
– Strength Index Reading (3 Year Range): Bullish Bearish Bearish
NET POSITION MOVEMENT INDEX:
– 6-Week Change in Strength Index: -9.5 8.9 5.9

 


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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