Cotton Futures Decline Amid Mixed Market Signals

At midday, cotton futures are experiencing losses between 17 to 26 points. This downturn occurs against a backdrop of negative external market conditions, with the US dollar index rising by 431 points and crude oil prices decreasing by $0.65 per barrel.

Export Sales Show Mixed Results

The latest export sales data indicates a rise in upland cotton bookings, reaching 194,895 RB for the 2024/25 season—a three-week high and up 27.39% compared to last week. Notably, Vietnam accounted for 42,400 RB of these sales, while Pakistan saw 37,000 RB. For the 2025/26 season, sales reached 6,864 RB. However, shipments experienced a setback, dropping to a five-week low of 128,573 RB, marking a decline of 6.43% from the previous week. Shipments to Pakistan were recorded at 25,500 RB, while Vietnam received 23,800 RB.

Market Prices and Indices Update

On December 18, The Seam reported 2,299 bales of online sales at an average price of 63.46 cents per pound. Meanwhile, ICE cotton stocks held steady at 20,113 bales of certified stocks. The Cotlook A Index dropped 40 points on December 18, settling at 78.85 cents per pound. Additionally, the USDA Adjusted World Price (AWP) fell by 152 points last Thursday, now standing at 56.22 cents per pound, with an update expected this Thursday.

Current Cotton Futures Quotations

Mar 25 Cotton is priced at 67.91 cents, marking a decline of 17 points.

May 25 Cotton is trading at 69.03 cents, down by 18 points.

Jul 25 Cotton is at 69.97 cents, reflecting a drop of 26 points.

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