Archive for investing – Page 25

US Dollar Speculators pushed their bets into a new bullish position

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US Dollar Index Speculator Positions

Large currency speculators continued to raise their net positions in the US Dollar Index futures markets this week, according to the latest Commitment of Traders (COT) data released by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) on Friday.

The non-commercial futures contracts of US Dollar Index futures, traded by large speculators and hedge funds, totaled a net position of 437 contracts in the data reported through Tuesday October 13th. This was a weekly gain of 3,471 contracts from the previous week which had a total of -3,034 net contracts.

This week’s net position was the result of the gross bullish position (longs) rising by 1,601 contracts (to a weekly total of 20,110 contracts) combined with the gross bearish position (shorts) which fell by -1,870 contracts on the week (to a total of 19,673 contracts).

The US Dollar Index speculators boosted their net positions higher this week for the third consecutive week. The dollar bets have now gained by a total of +9,583 contracts over these past three weeks and climbed into a net bullish position for the first time in eighteen weeks, dating back to June 9th. The dollar index price (DXY) has also been improving over the past six weeks (to above the 93 level) after hitting an approximate 3-month low in August at just above the 91.50 exchange rate.


Individual Currencies Data this week:

In the individual major currency contracts data, the major currencies that saw improving speculator positions on the week were the US dollar index (3,471 weekly change in contracts), British pound sterling (1,496 contracts), Canadian dollar (4,483 contracts), New Zealand dollar (1,400 contracts) and the Mexican peso (1,136 contracts).

The currencies whose speculative bets declined this week were the euro (-5,671 weekly change in contracts), Japanese yen (-1,126 contracts), Swiss franc (-924 contracts) and the Australian dollar (-6,993 contracts).

 


Chart: Current Strength of Each Currency compared to their 3-Year Range

The above chart depicts each currency’s current speculator strength level compared to data of the past 3 years. A score of 0 percent would mean speculator bets are currently at the lowest level of the past three years. A 100 percent score would be at the highest level while a 50 percent score would mean speculator bets are right in the middle of the data (a neutral score). We use above 80 percent (extreme bullish) and below 20 percent (extreme bearish) as extreme score measurements.

Please see the data table and individual currency charts below.


 

Table of Large Speculator Levels & Weekly Changes:

CurrencyNet Speculator PositionSpecs Weekly Change
USD Index4373,471
EuroFx168,637-5,671
GBP-9,8021,496
JPY19,976-1,126
CHF12,172-924
CAD-13,5644,483
AUD3,854-6,993
NZD6,4901,400
MXN22,4781,136

 

This latest COT data is through Tuesday and shows a quick view of how large speculators or non-commercials (for-profit traders) were positioned in the futures markets. All currency positions are in direct relation to the US dollar where, for example, a bet for the euro is a bet that the euro will rise versus the dollar while a bet against the euro will be a bet that the dollar will gain versus the euro.

 


Weekly Charts: Large Trader Weekly Positions vs Price

EuroFX:

 

The Euro large speculator standing this week totaled a net position of 168,637 contracts in the data reported through Tuesday. This was a weekly reduction of -5,671 contracts from the previous week which had a total of 174,308 net contracts.

 


British Pound Sterling:

 

The large British pound sterling speculator level recorded a net position of -9,802 contracts in the data reported this week. This was a weekly lift of 1,496 contracts from the previous week which had a total of -11,298 net contracts.

 


Japanese Yen:

 

Large Japanese yen speculators was a net position of 19,976 contracts in this week’s data. This was a weekly reduction of -1,126 contracts from the previous week which had a total of 21,102 net contracts.

 


Swiss Franc:

 

The Swiss franc speculator standing this week totaled a net position of 12,172 contracts in the data through Tuesday. This was a weekly lowering of -924 contracts from the previous week which had a total of 13,096 net contracts.

 


Canadian Dollar:

 

Canadian dollar speculators came in at a net position of -13,564 contracts this week. This was a advance of 4,483 contracts from the previous week which had a total of -18,047 net contracts.

 


Australian Dollar:

 

The large speculator positions in Australian dollar futures came in at a net position of 3,854 contracts this week in the data ending Tuesday. This was a weekly reduction of -6,993 contracts from the previous week which had a total of 10,847 net contracts.

 


New Zealand Dollar:

 

The New Zealand dollar speculative standing equaled a net position of 6,490 contracts this week in the latest COT data. This was a weekly gain of 1,400 contracts from the previous week which had a total of 5,090 net contracts.

 


Mexican Peso:

 

Mexican peso speculators totaled a net position of 22,478 contracts this week. This was a weekly lift of 1,136 contracts from the previous week which had a total of 21,342 net contracts.

 


Article By CountingPips.comReceive 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).

Find CFTC criteria here: (http://www.cftc.gov/MarketReports/CommitmentsofTraders/ExplanatoryNotes/index.htm).

WTI Crude Oil Speculators slightly added to their bullish bets for 2nd straight week

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WTI Crude Oil Non-Commercial Speculator Positions:

Large energy speculators advanced their bullish net positions in the WTI Crude Oil futures markets this week, according to the latest Commitment of Traders (COT) data released by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) on Friday.

The non-commercial futures contracts of WTI Crude Oil futures, traded by large speculators and hedge funds, totaled a net position of 472,797 contracts in the data reported through Tuesday October 13th. This was a weekly gain of 1,261 net contracts from the previous week which had a total of 471,536 net contracts.

The week’s net position was the result of the gross bullish position (longs) falling by -7,854 contracts (to a weekly total of 649,933 contracts) while the gross bearish position (shorts) dropped by a larger amount of -9,115 contracts for the week (to a total of 177,136 contracts).

The crude oil speculators edged their net positions higher this week for a second straight week and for the fourth time in the past five weeks. This week’s gain brings the overall bullish standing to the highest level of the past six weeks. Speculators are slowing building their bullish position back after a sharp decline for five straight weeks (Aug. 11th to Sept. 8th) took off a total of -86,900 net contracts from the bullish standing.

WTI Crude Oil Commercial Positions:

The commercial traders position, hedgers or traders engaged in buying and selling for business purposes, totaled a net position of -496,915 contracts on the week. This was a weekly shortfall of -8,551 contracts from the total net of -488,364 contracts reported the previous week.

 

WTI Crude Oil Futures:

Over the same weekly reporting time-frame, from Tuesday to Tuesday, the WTI Crude Oil Futures (Front Month) closed at approximately $40.2 which was a decline of $-0.47 from the previous close of $40.67, according to unofficial market data.

 

*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) as well as the commercial traders (hedgers & traders for business purposes) 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).

Find CFTC criteria here: (http://www.cftc.gov/MarketReports/CommitmentsofTraders/ExplanatoryNotes/index.htm).

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10-Year Treasury Note Speculators edged their bullish bets higher, up for 5th time in 6 weeks

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10-Year Note Non-Commercial Speculator Positions:

Large bond speculators increased their bullish net positions in the 10-Year Note futures markets again this week, according to the latest Commitment of Traders (COT) data released by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) on Friday.

The non-commercial futures contracts of 10-Year Note futures, traded by large speculators and hedge funds, totaled a net position of 75,257 contracts in the data reported through Tuesday October 13th. This was a weekly gain of 5,744 net contracts from the previous week which had a total of 69,513 net contracts.

The week’s net position was the result of the gross bullish position (longs) decreasing by -43,266 contracts (to a weekly total of 585,180 contracts) while the gross bearish position (shorts) dropped by a larger amount of -49,010 contracts for the week (to a total of 509,923 contracts).

The 10-Year speculators slightly added to their net bullish bets this week and raised their wagers for the fifth time in the past six weeks. The rise in bullish positions follows a sharp decline last week when spec sentiment fell by -59,063 contracts. The overall standing has now been in bullish territory for six straight weeks (after a dip on Sept. 1st) and has been bullish in sixteen out of the past seventeen weeks.

10-Year Note Commercial Positions:

The commercial traders position, hedgers or traders engaged in buying and selling for business purposes, totaled a net position of -99,519 contracts on the week. This was a weekly decrease of -7,820 contracts from the total net of -91,699 contracts reported the previous week.

 

10-Year Note Futures:

Over the same weekly reporting time-frame, from Tuesday to Tuesday, the 10-Year Note Futures (Front Month) closed at approximately $139.20 which was an advance of $0.16 from the previous close of $139.04, according to unofficial market data.

 

*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) as well as the commercial traders (hedgers & traders for business purposes) 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).

Find CFTC criteria here: (http://www.cftc.gov/MarketReports/CommitmentsofTraders/ExplanatoryNotes/index.htm).

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Gold Speculators cut back on their bullish bets for 1st time in 3 weeks

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Gold Non-Commercial Speculator Positions:

Large precious metals speculators cut back on their bullish net positions in the Gold futures markets this week, according to the latest Commitment of Traders (COT) data released by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) on Friday.

The non-commercial futures contracts of Gold futures, traded by large speculators and hedge funds, totaled a net position of 240,671 contracts in the data reported through Tuesday October 13th. This was a weekly decrease of -7,916 net contracts from the previous week which had a total of 248,587 net contracts.

The week’s net position was the result of the gross bullish position (longs) advancing by 6,064 contracts (to a weekly total of 326,986 contracts) while the gross bearish position (shorts) rose by a larger amount of 13,980 contracts for the week (to a total of 86,315 contracts).

Gold speculators trimmed their bullish positions this week for this first time in three weeks. Over the previous two weeks, the bullish position had risen by approximately +30,000 net contracts and brought the overall standing to the highest of the past ten weeks. Despite this week’s decline, the net standing has remained above the +240,000 contract level for the three straight weeks and the bullish position has now been at least +200,000 net contracts for seventy consecutive weeks, dating back to June of 2019.

Gold Commercial Positions:

The commercial traders position, hedgers or traders engaged in buying and selling for business purposes, totaled a net position of -284,655 contracts on the week. This was a weekly increase of 3,813 contracts from the total net of -288,468 contracts reported the previous week.

 

Gold Futures:

Over the same weekly reporting time-frame, from Tuesday to Tuesday, the Gold Futures (Front Month) closed at approximately $1888.50 which was a shortfall of $-12.60 from the previous close of $1901.10, according to unofficial market data.

 

*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) as well as the commercial traders (hedgers & traders for business purposes) 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).

Find CFTC criteria here: (http://www.cftc.gov/MarketReports/CommitmentsofTraders/ExplanatoryNotes/index.htm).

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VIX Speculators raised their bearish bets to 34-week high

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VIX Non-Commercial Speculator Positions:

Large volatility speculators boosted their bearish net positions in the VIX futures markets this week, according to the latest Commitment of Traders (COT) data released by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) on Friday.

The non-commercial futures contracts of VIX futures, traded by large speculators and hedge funds, totaled a net position of -101,939 contracts in the data reported through Tuesday October 13th. This was a weekly change of -8,388 net contracts from the previous week which had a total of -93,551 net contracts.

The week’s net position was the result of the gross bullish position (longs) sinking by -1,907 contracts (to a weekly total of 36,963 contracts) while the gross bearish position (shorts) rose by 6,481 contracts for the week (to a total of 138,902 contracts).

VIX speculators increased their bearish positions higher this week for a second consecutive week. This rise has now pushed the overall bearish standing back over the -100,000 contract threshold and to the highest level of the past thirty-four weeks, dating back to February 18th. Despite the heavy turmoil that the coronavirus inflicted upon the markets this year, the VIX never flipped over into bullish territory as speculator positions have remained bearish now for ninety-two consecutive weeks, dating all the way back to January 8th of 2019.

VIX Commercial Positions:

The commercial traders position, hedgers or traders engaged in buying and selling for business purposes, totaled a net position of 104,708 contracts on the week. This was a weekly advance of 9,676 contracts from the total net of 95,032 contracts reported the previous week.

 

VIX Futures:

Over the same weekly reporting time-frame, from Tuesday to Tuesday, the VIX Futures (Front Month) closed at approximately $26.88 which was a decline of $-4.67 from the previous close of $31.55, according to unofficial market data.

 

*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) as well as the commercial traders (hedgers & traders for business purposes) 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).

Find CFTC criteria here: (http://www.cftc.gov/MarketReports/CommitmentsofTraders/ExplanatoryNotes/index.htm).

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US Dollar Speculators cut back on their bearish bets for 2nd week, Euro bets drop sharply

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US Dollar Index Speculator Positions

Large currency speculators trimmed their bearish net positions in the US Dollar Index futures markets this week, according to the latest Commitment of Traders (COT) data released by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) on Friday.

The non-commercial futures contracts of US Dollar Index futures, traded by large speculators and hedge funds, totaled a net position of -3,034 contracts in the data reported through Tuesday October 6th. This was a weekly gain of 2,521 contracts from the previous week which had a total of -5,555 net contracts.

This week’s net position was the result of the gross bullish position (longs) gaining by 3,669 contracts (to a weekly total of 18,509 contracts) compared to the gross bearish position (shorts) which saw a lesser advance of 1,148 contracts on the week (to a total of 21,543 contracts).

The US Dollar Index speculators decreased their bearish bets for a second straight week this week and by a total of +6,112 contracts over this two-week period. This improvement over the past two weeks brings the overall position to the least bearish level since June 9th when the net position was in bullish territory at +4,689 contracts. The dollar speculator standing has now continued to remain in bearish territory for a total of seventeen straight weeks.


Individual Currencies Data this week: Euro bets drop sharply

In the other major currency contracts data, we saw only one substantial change (+ or – 10,000 contracts) in the speculators category this week.

Euro positions dropped sharply this week by over -13,000 contracts. The euro bets have fallen for two straight weeks and for three out of the previous four weeks as well. The euro bullish position has been historically strong in the past four-to-six months and rode a surge of bullish bets to a record high level of +211,752 contracts on August 25th. Since then, the euro speculator position has cooled off but remains extremely bullish at a net level over +174,000 contracts.

Overall, the major currencies that saw improving speculator positions this week were the US dollar index (2,521 weekly change in contracts), British pound sterling (1,447 contracts), Swiss franc (355 contracts), Canadian dollar (901 contracts), Australian dollar (1,910 contracts), New Zealand dollar (1,761 contracts) and the Mexican peso (8,706 contracts).

The currencies whose speculative bets declined this week were the euro (-13,808 weekly change in contracts) and the Japanese yen (-3,687 contracts).

 

 


Chart: Current Strength of Each Currency compared to their 3-Year Range

The above chart depicts each currency’s current speculator strength level compared to data of the past 3 years. A score of 0 percent would mean speculator bets are currently at the lowest level of the past three years. A 100 percent score would be at the highest level while a 50 percent score would mean speculator bets are right in the middle of the data (a neutral score). We use above 80 percent (extreme bullish) and below 20 percent (extreme bearish) as extreme score measurements.

Please see the data table and individual currency charts below.


 

Table of Large Speculator Levels & Weekly Changes:

CurrencyNet Speculator PositionSpecs Weekly Change
USD Index-3,0342,521
EuroFx174,308-13,808
GBP-11,2981,447
JPY21,102-3,687
CHF13,096355
CAD-18,047901
AUD10,8471,910
NZD5,0901,761
MXN21,3428,706

 

This latest COT data is through Tuesday and shows a quick view of how large speculators or non-commercials (for-profit traders) were positioned in the futures markets. All currency positions are in direct relation to the US dollar where, for example, a bet for the euro is a bet that the euro will rise versus the dollar while a bet against the euro will be a bet that the dollar will gain versus the euro.


Weekly Charts: Large Trader Weekly Positions vs Price

EuroFX:

The Euro large speculator standing this week came in at a net position of 174,308 contracts in the data reported through Tuesday. This was a weekly decrease of -13,808 contracts from the previous week which had a total of 188,116 net contracts.

 

 


British Pound Sterling:

The large British pound sterling speculator level resulted in a net position of -11,298 contracts in the data reported this week. This was a weekly lift of 1,447 contracts from the previous week which had a total of -12,745 net contracts.

 

 


Japanese Yen:

Large Japanese yen speculators resulted in a net position of 21,102 contracts in this week’s data. This was a weekly reduction of -3,687 contracts from the previous week which had a total of 24,789 net contracts.

 

 


Swiss Franc:

The Swiss franc speculator standing this week came in at a net position of 13,096 contracts in the data through Tuesday. This was a weekly lift of 355 contracts from the previous week which had a total of 12,741 net contracts.

 

 


Canadian Dollar:

Canadian dollar speculators was a net position of -18,047 contracts this week. This was a rise of 901 contracts from the previous week which had a total of -18,948 net contracts.

 

 


Australian Dollar:

The large speculator positions in Australian dollar futures reached a net position of 10,847 contracts this week in the data ending Tuesday. This was a weekly gain of 1,910 contracts from the previous week which had a total of 8,937 net contracts.

 

 


New Zealand Dollar:

The New Zealand dollar speculative standing reached a net position of 5,090 contracts this week in the latest COT data. This was a weekly lift of 1,761 contracts from the previous week which had a total of 3,329 net contracts.

 

 


Mexican Peso:

Mexican peso speculators came in at a net position of 21,342 contracts this week. This was a weekly rise of 8,706 contracts from the previous week which had a total of 12,636 net contracts.

 

 


Article By CountingPips.comReceive 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).

Find CFTC criteria here: (http://www.cftc.gov/MarketReports/CommitmentsofTraders/ExplanatoryNotes/index.htm).

WTI Crude Oil Speculators raised their bullish bets for 3rd time in 4 weeks

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WTI Crude Oil Non-Commercial Speculator Positions:

 

Large energy speculators boosted their bullish net positions in the WTI Crude Oil futures markets this week, according to the latest Commitment of Traders (COT) data released by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) on Friday.

The non-commercial futures contracts of WTI Crude Oil futures, traded by large speculators and hedge funds, totaled a net position of 471,536 contracts in the data reported through Tuesday October 6th. This was a weekly rise of 9,625 net contracts from the previous week which had a total of 461,911 net contracts.

The week’s net position was the result of the gross bullish position (longs) gaining by 9,165 contracts (to a weekly total of 657,787 contracts) while the gross bearish position (shorts) declined by -460 contracts for the week (to a total of 186,251 contracts).

Crude oil speculators increased their bullish bets this week following a sharp down week last week (-10,858 contracts). The speculator position rose for the third time in the past four weeks and bullish bets have now advanced by a total of +22,170 contracts over that period. Previously, the bullish positions had dropped for five straight weeks from August 11th to September 8th which brought the net position below +500,000 contracts for the first time in 20 weeks.

WTI Crude Oil Commercial Positions:

The commercial traders position, hedgers or traders engaged in buying and selling for business purposes, totaled a net position of -488,364 contracts on the week. This was a weekly decline of -7,162 contracts from the total net of -481,202 contracts reported the previous week.

 

WTI Crude Oil Futures:

 

Over the same weekly reporting time-frame, from Tuesday to Tuesday, the WTI Crude Oil Futures (Front Month) closed at approximately $40.67 which was an increase of $1.38 from the previous close of $39.29, according to unofficial market data.

 

*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) as well as the commercial traders (hedgers & traders for business purposes) 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).

Find CFTC criteria here: (http://www.cftc.gov/MarketReports/CommitmentsofTraders/ExplanatoryNotes/index.htm).

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10-Year Note Speculators dropped their bullish bets for 1st time in 5 weeks

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10-Year Note Non-Commercial Speculator Positions:

Large bond speculators decreased their bullish net positions in the 10-Year Note futures markets this week, according to the latest Commitment of Traders (COT) data released by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) on Friday.

The non-commercial futures contracts of 10-Year Note futures, traded by large speculators and hedge funds, totaled a net position of 69,513 contracts in the data reported through Tuesday October 6th. This was a weekly decrease of -59,063 net contracts from the previous week which had a total of 128,576 net contracts.

The week’s net position was the result of the gross bullish position (longs) sinking by -39,892 contracts (to a weekly total of 628,446 contracts) while the gross bearish position (shorts) increased by 19,171 contracts for the week (to a total of 558,933 contracts).

The 10-Year speculators cut back on their bullish bets this week following four straight weeks of rising bullish bets that had pushed the overall net position to its highest level in 155 weeks, dating back to October of 2017. This week’s decline brings the net position back to a small bullish level and marks the fifteenth time out of the past sixteen weeks that speculators have maintained a bullish bias.

10-Year Note Commercial Positions:

The commercial traders position, hedgers or traders engaged in buying and selling for business purposes, totaled a net position of -91,699 contracts on the week. This was a weekly advance of 92,564 contracts from the total net of -184,263 contracts reported the previous week.

10-Year Note Futures:

Over the same weekly reporting time-frame, from Tuesday to Tuesday, the 10-Year Note Futures (Front Month) closed at approximately $139.04 which was a fall of $-0.73 from the previous close of $139.78, according to unofficial market data.

 

*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) as well as the commercial traders (hedgers & traders for business purposes) 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).

Find CFTC criteria here: (http://www.cftc.gov/MarketReports/CommitmentsofTraders/ExplanatoryNotes/index.htm).

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Gold Speculators added to their bullish bets for 5th time in 6 weeks

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Gold Non-Commercial Speculator Positions:

 

Large precious metals speculators once again raised their bullish net positions in the Gold futures markets this week, according to the latest Commitment of Traders (COT) data released by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) on Friday.

The non-commercial futures contracts of Gold futures, traded by large speculators and hedge funds, totaled a net position of 248,587 contracts in the data reported through Tuesday October 6th. This was a weekly gain of 4,928 net contracts from the previous week which had a total of 243,659 net contracts.

The week’s net position was the result of the gross bullish position (longs) rising by 4,816 contracts (to a weekly total of 320,922 contracts) while the gross bearish position (shorts) declined by -112 contracts for the week (to a total of 72,335 contracts).

Gold speculators raised their bullish bets this week for the second straight week and for the fifth time in the past six weeks. The bullish position has added a total of +27,549 contracts over this six-week time-frame which has brought the overall bullish standing to the highest level since July 21st. Speculator sentiment has remained steady for gold as the bullish position has continued to be above the +200,000 net contract level for a total of 69 weeks, dating back to June of 2019.

Gold Commercial Positions:

The commercial traders position, hedgers or traders engaged in buying and selling for business purposes, totaled a net position of -288,468 contracts on the week. This was a weekly fall of -2,290 contracts from the total net of -286,178 contracts reported the previous week.

Gold Futures:

Over the same weekly reporting time-frame, from Tuesday to Tuesday, the Gold Futures (Front Month) closed at approximately $1901.10 which was an increase of $6.80 from the previous close of $1894.30, according to unofficial market data.

 

*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) as well as the commercial traders (hedgers & traders for business purposes) 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).

Find CFTC criteria here: (http://www.cftc.gov/MarketReports/CommitmentsofTraders/ExplanatoryNotes/index.htm).

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US Dollar Speculators sharply cut back on Bearish Bets. Pound, Peso bets fall

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US Dollar Index Speculator Positions

Large currency speculators decreased their bearish net positions in the US Dollar Index futures markets this week, according to the latest Commitment of Traders (COT) data released by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) on Friday.

The non-commercial futures contracts of US Dollar Index futures, traded by large speculators and hedge funds, totaled a net position of -5,555 contracts in the data reported through Tuesday September 29th. This was a weekly improvement by 3,591 contracts from the previous week which had a total of -9,146 net contracts.

This week’s net position was the result of the gross bullish position (longs) growing by 2,908 contracts (to a weekly total of 14,840 contracts) compared to the gross bearish position (shorts) which saw a reduction by -683 contracts on the week (to a total of 20,395 contracts).

US Dollar Index speculators reduced their bearish bets this week following two straight weeks of rising bearish positions that had brought the overall standing to the lowest level in 147 weeks. The +3,591 net contracts this week marks the best one-week gain in 27 weeks, dating back to March 24th. The overall speculator standing remains in a bearish position for the 16th consecutive week but has now improved to the least bearish level of the past eleven weeks.


Individual Currencies Data this week:

In the other major currency contracts data, we saw two substantial changes (+ or – 10,000 contracts) in the speculators category this week.

The British pound sterling dropped sharply by over -15,000 contracts this week. This sharp decline pushed the overall net position back into bearish territory for the first time in the past seven weeks. The messy Brexit divorce from the EU is weighing on the pound and has pushed the GBPUSD currency pair back under the 1.30 exchange rate.

Mexican peso positions fell by over -14,000 contracts this week following four straight weeks of gains. The peso speculator position remains in bullish territory for the sixteenth straight week after a short spell in a bearish position in May and June. Overall, peso bets are in a small bullish level (+12,636 contracts) and down from stronger bullish levels in early 2020 that included an all-time record high of +170,366 contracts on January 28th.

Overall, the major currencies that saw improving speculator positions this week was just the US dollar index (3,591 weekly change in contracts).

The currencies whose speculative bets declined this week were the euro (-2,706 weekly change in contracts), British pound sterling (-15,709 contracts), Japanese yen (-4,792 contracts), Swiss franc (-3,175 contracts), Canadian dollar (-66 contracts), Australian dollar (-7,402 contracts), New Zealand dollar (-1,531 contracts) and the Mexican peso (-14,014 contracts).


Chart: Current Strength of Each Currency compared to their 3-Year Range

The above chart depicts each currency’s current speculator strength level compared to data of the past 3 years. A score of 0 percent would mean speculator bets are currently at the lowest level of the past three years. A 100 percent score would be at the highest level while a 50 percent score would mean speculator bets are right in the middle of the data (a neutral score). We use above 80 percent (extreme bullish) and below 20 percent (extreme bearish) as extreme score measurements.

Please see the data table and individual currency charts below.


Table of Large Speculator Levels & Weekly Changes:

CurrencyNet Speculator PositionSpecs Weekly Change
USD Index-5,5553,591
EuroFx188,116-2,706
GBP-12,745-15,709
JPY24,789-4,792
CHF12,741-3,175
CAD-18,948-66
AUD8,937-7,402
NZD3,329-1,531
MXN12,636-14,014

 

This latest COT data is through Tuesday and shows a quick view of how large speculators or non-commercials (for-profit traders) were positioned in the futures markets. All currency positions are in direct relation to the US dollar where, for example, a bet for the euro is a bet that the euro will rise versus the dollar while a bet against the euro will be a bet that the dollar will gain versus the euro.


Weekly Charts: Large Trader Weekly Positions vs Price

EuroFX:

The Euro large speculator standing this week recorded a net position of 188,116 contracts in the data reported through Tuesday. This was a weekly fall of -2,706 contracts from the previous week which had a total of 190,822 net contracts.


British Pound Sterling:

The large British pound sterling speculator level was a net position of -12,745 contracts in the data reported this week. This was a weekly decrease of -15,709 contracts from the previous week which had a total of 2,964 net contracts.


Japanese Yen:

Large Japanese yen speculators equaled a net position of 24,789 contracts in this week’s data. This was a weekly reduction of -4,792 contracts from the previous week which had a total of 29,581 net contracts.


Swiss Franc:

The Swiss franc speculator standing this week reached a net position of 12,741 contracts in the data through Tuesday. This was a weekly fall of -3,175 contracts from the previous week which had a total of 15,916 net contracts.


Canadian Dollar:

Canadian dollar speculators totaled a net position of -18,948 contracts this week. This was a decrease of -66 contracts from the previous week which had a total of -18,882 net contracts.


Australian Dollar:

The large speculator positions in Australian dollar futures totaled a net position of 8,937 contracts this week in the data ending Tuesday. This was a weekly lowering of -7,402 contracts from the previous week which had a total of 16,339 net contracts.


New Zealand Dollar:

The New Zealand dollar speculative standing totaled a net position of 3,329 contracts this week in the latest COT data. This was a weekly decline of -1,531 contracts from the previous week which had a total of 4,860 net contracts.


Mexican Peso:

Mexican peso speculators recorded a net position of 12,636 contracts this week. This was a weekly reduction of -14,014 contracts from the previous week which had a total of 26,650 net contracts.


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*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).

Find CFTC criteria here: (http://www.cftc.gov/MarketReports/CommitmentsofTraders/ExplanatoryNotes/index.htm).