Cotton futures declined by 11 to 15 points on Friday, with October contracts at 66.06 cents/lb, December at 67.53 cents/lb, and March at 69.07 cents/lb. The US dollar index fell by $0.408 to 97.695, while crude oil futures decreased by $0.63.
The USDA reported export sales for the new crop at 3.127 million running bales (RB), representing 28% of the full-year export forecast, lagging behind the average sales pace of 45%. The Seam noted that 2,019 bales were sold in the Thursday online auction at an average price of 68.32 cents/lb, and ICE cotton stocks decreased by 1,225 bales as of August 13, bringing certified stocks to 17,017 bales.
