Cotton Prices Rise Amid Mixed Market Conditions

Cotton prices are seeing gains of 9 to 17 points this Thursday morning. The futures market closed Wednesday with contracts up between 18 and 67 points. The overall market environment features mixed signals: the US dollar index increased by 278 points, while crude oil prices climbed by $1.77 per barrel.

USDA Reports Increased Carryout

On Tuesday, the USDA increased its projection for the 2024/25 US cotton carryout by 100,000 bales, bringing the total to 4.4 million bales due to a rise in production estimates.

Recent Trading Activity and Prices

The Seam reported 2,850 bales sold online on December 10, with an average price of 68.43 cents per pound. As of Monday, ICE cotton stocks stood at 1,299 bales, out of a total of 19,231 bales of certified stocks. The Cotlook A Index fell by 25 points on December 10 to 80.10 cents per pound. Last week, the USDA Adjusted World Price (AWP) increased by 21 points to 57.74 cents per pound, and it is set to be updated today.

Current Futures Prices

For March 2025, cotton closed at 70.15, up 67 points, with a current rise of 17 points. May 2025 cotton closed at 71.27, gaining 58 points, and it is currently up by 11 points. July 2025 cotton closed at 72.25, an increase of 50 points, and it’s currently up 9 points.

On the date of publication, Austin Schroeder did not hold (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article are solely for informational purposes. For further details, please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.

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