Cotton futures increased significantly on Friday, with front-month contracts rising by as much as 74 points and May futures gaining 165 points over the week. Notably, crude oil also saw a rise of $3.57, reaching $99.30. Meanwhile, the US dollar index climbed by $0.776 to 100.530.
As of March 10, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) reported a reduction of 6,183 contracts from the managed money net short position in cotton, bringing the total to 66,754 contracts. Export Sales data indicated a total cotton export commitment of 9.157 million RB, down 10% year-over-year and at 81% of the USDA’s forecast. Shipments stood at 5.029 million RB, which is 4% lower than last year, reflecting a lag behind the 50% average shipping pace.
In specific market closes, May 2026 cotton finished at 65.85 cents (up 71 points), July 2026 at 67.89 cents (up 74 points), and October 2026 at 69.61 cents (up 60 points). The Cotlook A Index fell to 75.70 cents following a decline of 5 points.
