By InvestMacro
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 May 28th and shows a quick view of how large traders (for-profit speculators and commercial entities) were positioned in the futures markets.
Weekly Speculator Changes led by Gold
The COT metals markets speculator bets were lower this week as just one out of the six metals markets we cover had higher positioning while the other five markets had lower speculator contracts.
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Leading the gains for the metals was Gold with a total rise of 6,779 contracts for the week.
The markets with declines in speculator bets for the week were Copper (-6,172 contracts), Silver (-2,461 contracts), Palladium (-655 contracts), Steel (-314 contracts) and Platinum (-82 contracts) also registering lower bets on the week.
Metals Net Speculators Leaderboard
Legend: Weekly Speculators Change | Speculators Current Net Position | Speculators Strength Score compared to last 3-Years (0-100 range)
Strength Scores led by Silver & Copper
COT Strength Scores (a normalized measure of Speculator positions over a 3-Year range, from 0 to 100 where above 80 is Extreme-Bullish and below 20 is Extreme-Bearish) showed that Silver (97 percent), Copper (94 percent), Platinum (92 percent), Gold (83 percent) and Steel (80 percent) lead the metals markets this week and are all in Extreme-Bullish territory.
On the downside, Palladium (15 percent) comes in at the lowest strength level currently and is in Extreme-Bearish territory (below 20 percent).
Strength Statistics:
Gold (83.0 percent) vs Gold previous week (79.9 percent)
Silver (96.6 percent) vs Silver previous week (100.0 percent)
Copper (94.3 percent) vs Copper previous week (100.0 percent)
Platinum (91.6 percent) vs Platinum previous week (91.8 percent)
Palladium (15.2 percent) vs Palladium previous week (19.3 percent)
Steel (79.8 percent) vs Palladium previous week (81.0 percent)
Platinum & Copper top the 6-Week Strength Trends
COT Strength Score Trends (or move index, calculates the 6-week changes in strength scores) showed that Platinum (25 percent) and Copper (17 percent) lead the past six weeks trends for metals. Gold (16 percent) is the next highest positive mover in the latest trends data.
Palladium (-13 percent) leads the downside trend scores currently with Steel (-6 percent) as the next market with lower trend scores.
Move Statistics:
Gold (15.6 percent) vs Gold previous week (12.3 percent)
Silver (5.3 percent) vs Silver previous week (8.9 percent)
Copper (16.7 percent) vs Copper previous week (27.0 percent)
Platinum (24.9 percent) vs Platinum previous week (23.1 percent)
Palladium (-12.8 percent) vs Palladium previous week (-10.4 percent)
Steel (-6.1 percent) vs Steel previous week (-10.5 percent)
Individual Markets:
Gold Comex Futures:
The Gold Comex Futures large speculator standing this week was a net position of 236,585 contracts in the data reported through Tuesday. This was a weekly gain of 6,779 contracts from the previous week which had a total of 229,806 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 83.0 percent. The commercials are Bearish-Extreme with a score of 18.8 percent and the small traders (not shown in chart) are Bullish with a score of 52.4 percent.
Price Trend-Following Model: Uptrend
Our weekly trend-following model classifies the current market price position as: Uptrend. The current action for the model is considered to be: Hold – Maintain Long Position.
| Gold Futures Statistics | SPECULATORS | COMMERCIALS | SMALL TRADERS |
| – Percent of Open Interest Longs: | 59.1 | 22.5 | 10.6 |
| – Percent of Open Interest Shorts: | 10.3 | 76.2 | 5.6 |
| – Net Position: | 236,585 | -260,950 | 24,365 |
| – Gross Longs: | 286,737 | 109,181 | 51,528 |
| – Gross Shorts: | 50,152 | 370,131 | 27,163 |
| – Long to Short Ratio: | 5.7 to 1 | 0.3 to 1 | 1.9 to 1 |
| NET POSITION TREND: | |||
| – Strength Index Score (3 Year Range Pct): | 83.0 | 18.8 | 52.4 |
| – Strength Index Reading (3 Year Range): | Bullish-Extreme | Bearish-Extreme | Bullish |
| NET POSITION MOVEMENT INDEX: | |||
| – 6-Week Change in Strength Index: | 15.6 | -15.6 | 11.3 |
Silver Comex Futures:
The Silver Comex Futures large speculator standing this week was a net position of 57,183 contracts in the data reported through Tuesday. This was a weekly fall of -2,461 contracts from the previous week which had a total of 59,644 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 96.6 percent. The commercials are Bearish-Extreme with a score of 2.3 percent and the small traders (not shown in chart) are Bullish-Extreme with a score of 100.0 percent.
Price Trend-Following Model: Strong Uptrend
Our weekly trend-following model classifies the current market price position as: Strong Uptrend. The current action for the model is considered to be: Hold – Maintain Long Position.
| Silver Futures Statistics | SPECULATORS | COMMERCIALS | SMALL TRADERS |
| – Percent of Open Interest Longs: | 49.6 | 24.8 | 19.3 |
| – Percent of Open Interest Shorts: | 18.7 | 68.7 | 6.4 |
| – Net Position: | 57,183 | -81,072 | 23,889 |
| – Gross Longs: | 91,730 | 45,930 | 35,705 |
| – Gross Shorts: | 34,547 | 127,002 | 11,816 |
| – Long to Short Ratio: | 2.7 to 1 | 0.4 to 1 | 3.0 to 1 |
| NET POSITION TREND: | |||
| – Strength Index Score (3 Year Range Pct): | 96.6 | 2.3 | 100.0 |
| – Strength Index Reading (3 Year Range): | Bullish-Extreme | Bearish-Extreme | Bullish-Extreme |
| NET POSITION MOVEMENT INDEX: | |||
| – 6-Week Change in Strength Index: | 5.3 | -8.0 | 18.1 |
Copper Grade #1 Futures:
The Copper Grade #1 Futures large speculator standing this week was a net position of 65,522 contracts in the data reported through Tuesday. This was a weekly decline of -6,172 contracts from the previous week which had a total of 71,694 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 94.3 percent. The commercials are Bearish-Extreme with a score of 4.3 percent and the small traders (not shown in chart) are Bullish-Extreme with a score of 90.9 percent.
Price Trend-Following Model: Uptrend
Our weekly trend-following model classifies the current market price position as: Uptrend. The current action for the model is considered to be: Hold – Maintain Long Position.
| Copper Futures Statistics | SPECULATORS | COMMERCIALS | SMALL TRADERS |
| – Percent of Open Interest Longs: | 51.4 | 26.7 | 8.1 |
| – Percent of Open Interest Shorts: | 29.5 | 52.4 | 4.3 |
| – Net Position: | 65,522 | -76,754 | 11,232 |
| – Gross Longs: | 153,739 | 79,821 | 24,148 |
| – Gross Shorts: | 88,217 | 156,575 | 12,916 |
| – Long to Short Ratio: | 1.7 to 1 | 0.5 to 1 | 1.9 to 1 |
| NET POSITION TREND: | |||
| – Strength Index Score (3 Year Range Pct): | 94.3 | 4.3 | 90.9 |
| – Strength Index Reading (3 Year Range): | Bullish-Extreme | Bearish-Extreme | Bullish-Extreme |
| NET POSITION MOVEMENT INDEX: | |||
| – 6-Week Change in Strength Index: | 16.7 | -17.8 | 17.4 |
Platinum Futures:
The Platinum Futures large speculator standing this week was a net position of 27,567 contracts in the data reported through Tuesday. This was a weekly reduction of -82 contracts from the previous week which had a total of 27,649 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 91.6 percent. The commercials are Bearish-Extreme with a score of 5.9 percent and the small traders (not shown in chart) are Bearish with a score of 29.8 percent.
Price Trend-Following Model: Strong Uptrend
Our weekly trend-following model classifies the current market price position as: Strong Uptrend. The current action for the model is considered to be: Hold – Maintain Long Position.
| Platinum Futures Statistics | SPECULATORS | COMMERCIALS | SMALL TRADERS |
| – Percent of Open Interest Longs: | 62.3 | 18.9 | 10.1 |
| – Percent of Open Interest Shorts: | 32.8 | 53.3 | 5.2 |
| – Net Position: | 27,567 | -32,140 | 4,573 |
| – Gross Longs: | 58,272 | 17,725 | 9,420 |
| – Gross Shorts: | 30,705 | 49,865 | 4,847 |
| – Long to Short Ratio: | 1.9 to 1 | 0.4 to 1 | 1.9 to 1 |
| NET POSITION TREND: | |||
| – Strength Index Score (3 Year Range Pct): | 91.6 | 5.9 | 29.8 |
| – Strength Index Reading (3 Year Range): | Bullish-Extreme | Bearish-Extreme | Bearish |
| NET POSITION MOVEMENT INDEX: | |||
| – 6-Week Change in Strength Index: | 24.9 | -22.7 | -10.8 |
Palladium Futures:
The Palladium Futures large speculator standing this week was a net position of -11,079 contracts in the data reported through Tuesday. This was a weekly fall of -655 contracts from the previous week which had a total of -10,424 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 15.2 percent. The commercials are Bullish-Extreme with a score of 85.6 percent and the small traders (not shown in chart) are Bullish with a score of 65.6 percent.
Price Trend-Following Model: Weak Uptrend
Our weekly trend-following model classifies the current market price position as: Weak Uptrend. The current action for the model is considered to be: Hold – Maintain Long Position.
| Palladium Futures Statistics | SPECULATORS | COMMERCIALS | SMALL TRADERS |
| – Percent of Open Interest Longs: | 26.5 | 55.7 | 8.8 |
| – Percent of Open Interest Shorts: | 73.5 | 10.4 | 7.1 |
| – Net Position: | -11,079 | 10,681 | 398 |
| – Gross Longs: | 6,257 | 13,139 | 2,078 |
| – Gross Shorts: | 17,336 | 2,458 | 1,680 |
| – Long to Short Ratio: | 0.4 to 1 | 5.3 to 1 | 1.2 to 1 |
| NET POSITION TREND: | |||
| – Strength Index Score (3 Year Range Pct): | 15.2 | 85.6 | 65.6 |
| – Strength Index Reading (3 Year Range): | Bearish-Extreme | Bullish-Extreme | Bullish |
| NET POSITION MOVEMENT INDEX: | |||
| – 6-Week Change in Strength Index: | -12.8 | 10.1 | 23.3 |
Steel Futures Futures:
The Steel Futures large speculator standing this week was a net position of -4,329 contracts in the data reported through Tuesday. This was a weekly reduction of -314 contracts from the previous week which had a total of -4,015 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 79.8 percent. The commercials are Bearish with a score of 21.2 percent and the small traders (not shown in chart) are Bearish with a score of 29.0 percent.
Price Trend-Following Model: Downtrend
Our weekly trend-following model classifies the current market price position as: Downtrend. The current action for the model is considered to be: Hold – Maintain Short Position.
| Steel Futures Statistics | SPECULATORS | COMMERCIALS | SMALL TRADERS |
| – Percent of Open Interest Longs: | 13.2 | 79.8 | 1.2 |
| – Percent of Open Interest Shorts: | 28.7 | 64.2 | 1.3 |
| – Net Position: | -4,329 | 4,360 | -31 |
| – Gross Longs: | 3,719 | 22,396 | 344 |
| – Gross Shorts: | 8,048 | 18,036 | 375 |
| – Long to Short Ratio: | 0.5 to 1 | 1.2 to 1 | 0.9 to 1 |
| NET POSITION TREND: | |||
| – Strength Index Score (3 Year Range Pct): | 79.8 | 21.2 | 29.0 |
| – Strength Index Reading (3 Year Range): | Bullish | Bearish | Bearish |
| NET POSITION MOVEMENT INDEX: | |||
| – 6-Week Change in Strength Index: | -6.1 | 6.5 | -10.5 |
Article By InvestMacro – Receive our weekly COT Newsletter
*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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