COT: Oil sold again with gold, coffee and sugar in demand

COT: Oil sold again with gold, coffee and sugar in demand

Commodities 6 minutes to read
Ole Hansen

Head of Commodity Strategy

Summary:  The latest Commitments of Traders report from the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission covering the week to October 23 showed that leveraged funds cut their net-long position across 26 major commodities futures contracts by four percent.


Saxo Bank publishes two weekly Commitment of Traders reports (COT) covering leveraged fund positions in commodities, bonds and stock index futures. For IMM currency futures and the VIX, we use the broader measure called non-commercial.

To download your copy of the Commitment of Traders: Commodities report for the week ending October 23, click here.

The latest Commitments of Traders (COT) report from the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission covering the week to October 23, showed that leveraged funds cut their net-long position across 26 major commodities futures contracts by four percent. 

The reasons why we primarily focus on the behaviour of leveraged funds:

They are likely to have tight stops and no underlying exposure that is being hedged
This makes them most reactive to changes in fundamental or technical price developments
It provides views about major trends but also helps to decipher when a reversal is looming

While nineteen contracts were net-sold the broad-based reduction was limited in size due to the strong buying of a few commodities, most noticeably sugar, coffee, and precious metals. The energy sector remained under selling pressing with the combined long in crude oil slumping to a 15-month low. Precious metals were bought for a second week and with the tailwind from short-covering fading, gold and silver are now increasingly in need of fundamental support to carry them higher. 

Leveraged funds continued to exit the energy sector during the week to October 23. A Saudi pledge to produce as much oil as possible, and the stock market rout, have sharply reduced concerns about the Nov. 4 implementation of US sanctions against Iran. Four weeks of selling has seen the combine long in Brent and WTI crude oil crumble by one third to a 15-month low of 577,000 lots. 

The combination of the global rout in stocks, the trade-war-leading-to-lower-growth narrative, a seasonal weak period for demand and Saudi’s pledge to pump, has sharply reduced the risk of a price spike once US sanctions against Iran begin on November 4. However, given the yet unknown impact on Iran’s ability to produce and export the sharp reduction in bullish bets has now helped create a more balanced market in terms of speculative positions. On that assumption and provided $75/b in Brent continues to provide support we could see some speculative buying emerge ahead of November 4. 
Gold was bought for a second week running and during this time the record short position has been cut by 74% to just 26,899 lots, a three-months low. Silver was also bought but given the current focus on safe-haven demand it continued to struggle relative to gold. Both copper and platinum saw renewed selling in response to the global equities rout, a weaker yuan and demand concerns.

Gold is now increasingly in need of supporting fundamentals to carry it higher. This after the tailwind from short covering begins to fade given the sharp reduction witnessed during the past few weeks. Support is being provided by the continued uncertainty in global equities and the decline in US bond yields. Against this we have the risk of the dollar continuing to strengthen, not least against the euro and the yuan, which are troubled respectively by political uncertainty in Europe and the pressure on the Chinese currency to weaken further beyond 7 per dollar. 
Leveraged funds maintained a net-short close to the five-year average in the three major grains contracts of soybean, corn and wheat. This on a combination of trade war concerns and the harvesting of bumper corn and soybean crops.

Wheat, meanwhile, attracted some attention on Friday when it jumped back above $5/bushel on signs that  the latest slump had finally yielded a price low enough to compete with grains from other regions, especially the Black Sea area. Up until then wheat had been under pressure with the rising dollar rendering it unable to compete for export orders. A 55% jump in the net-short up until last Tuesday helps to explain the strong buy reaction since Friday afternoon when Egypt’s state-run General Authority for Supply Commodities (GASC) announced they had bought American wheat, the first purchase since the 2016-17 season. 

Of all the commodities coffee and sugar saw the biggest amount of buying last week in response to the ongoing rally which has seen both contracts rally by more than 30% during the past month. Last week, however, coffee found resistance at $1.25/lb and sugar at 14.25 cents/lb as the tailwind from short-covering began to fade and the market awaited the impact of the Brazilian presidential election. 

It was won by Jair Bolsonaro and the swing to the right could see the resource-rich economy open up to private investments. The CME BRL future trades higher by 1.5% while in Tokyo overnight an ETF tracking the Bovespa Index jumped by more than 10%. It was the rally in the BRL combined with the big short positions that helped drive the surge this past month. This rally may now begin to fade unless some fundamental support begins to emerge.

Quarterly Outlook

01 /

  • Macro Outlook: The US rate cut cycle has begun

    Quarterly Outlook

    Macro Outlook: The US rate cut cycle has begun

    Peter Garnry

    Chief Investment Strategist

    The Fed started the US rate cut cycle in Q3 and in this macro outlook we will explore how the rate c...
  • Fixed Income Outlook: Bonds Hit Reset. A New Equilibrium Emerges

    Quarterly Outlook

    Fixed Income Outlook: Bonds Hit Reset. A New Equilibrium Emerges

    Althea Spinozzi

    Head of Fixed Income Strategy

  • Equity Outlook: Will lower rates lift all boats in equities?

    Quarterly Outlook

    Equity Outlook: Will lower rates lift all boats in equities?

    Peter Garnry

    Chief Investment Strategist

    After a period of historically high equity index concentration driven by the 'Magnificent Seven' sto...
  • FX Outlook: USD in limbo amid political and policy jitters

    Quarterly Outlook

    FX Outlook: USD in limbo amid political and policy jitters

    Charu Chanana

    Chief Investment Strategist

    As we enter the final quarter of 2024, currency markets are set for heightened turbulence due to US ...
  • Commodity Outlook: Gold and silver continue to shine bright

    Quarterly Outlook

    Commodity Outlook: Gold and silver continue to shine bright

    Ole Hansen

    Head of Commodity Strategy

  • FX: Risk-on currencies to surge against havens

    Quarterly Outlook

    FX: Risk-on currencies to surge against havens

    Charu Chanana

    Chief Investment Strategist

    Explore the outlook for USD, AUD, NZD, and EM carry trades as risk-on currencies are set to outperfo...
  • Equities: Are we blowing bubbles again

    Quarterly Outlook

    Equities: Are we blowing bubbles again

    Peter Garnry

    Chief Investment Strategist

    Explore key trends and opportunities in European equities and electrification theme as market dynami...
  • Macro: Sandcastle economics

    Quarterly Outlook

    Macro: Sandcastle economics

    Peter Garnry

    Chief Investment Strategist

    Explore the "two-lane economy," European equities, energy commodities, and the impact of US fiscal p...
  • Bonds: What to do until inflation stabilises

    Quarterly Outlook

    Bonds: What to do until inflation stabilises

    Althea Spinozzi

    Head of Fixed Income Strategy

    Discover strategies for managing bonds as US and European yields remain rangebound due to uncertain ...
  • Commodities: Energy and grains in focus as metals pause

    Quarterly Outlook

    Commodities: Energy and grains in focus as metals pause

    Ole Hansen

    Head of Commodity Strategy

    Energy and grains to shine as metals pause. Discover key trends and market drivers for commodities i...

Disclaimer

The Saxo Bank Group entities each provide execution-only service and access to Analysis permitting a person to view and/or use content available on or via the website. This content is not intended to and does not change or expand on the execution-only service. Such access and use are at all times subject to (i) The Terms of Use; (ii) Full Disclaimer; (iii) The Risk Warning; (iv) the Rules of Engagement and (v) Notices applying to Saxo News & Research and/or its content in addition (where relevant) to the terms governing the use of hyperlinks on the website of a member of the Saxo Bank Group by which access to Saxo News & Research is gained. Such content is therefore provided as no more than information. In particular no advice is intended to be provided or to be relied on as provided nor endorsed by any Saxo Bank Group entity; nor is it to be construed as solicitation or an incentive provided to subscribe for or sell or purchase any financial instrument. All trading or investments you make must be pursuant to your own unprompted and informed self-directed decision. As such no Saxo Bank Group entity will have or be liable for any losses that you may sustain as a result of any investment decision made in reliance on information which is available on Saxo News & Research or as a result of the use of the Saxo News & Research. Orders given and trades effected are deemed intended to be given or effected for the account of the customer with the Saxo Bank Group entity operating in the jurisdiction in which the customer resides and/or with whom the customer opened and maintains his/her trading account. Saxo News & Research does not contain (and should not be construed as containing) financial, investment, tax or trading advice or advice of any sort offered, recommended or endorsed by Saxo Bank Group and should not be construed as a record of our trading prices, or as an offer, incentive or solicitation for the subscription, sale or purchase in any financial instrument. To the extent that any content is construed as investment research, you must note and accept that the content was not intended to and has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such, would be considered as a marketing communication under relevant laws.

Please read our disclaimers:
- Notification on Non-Independent Investment Research (https://www.home.saxo/legal/niird/notification)
- Full disclaimer (https://www.home.saxo/en-gb/legal/disclaimer/saxo-disclaimer)

Saxo
40 Bank Street, 26th floor
E14 5DA
London
United Kingdom

Contact Saxo

Select region

United Kingdom
United Kingdom

Trade Responsibly
All trading carries risk. To help you understand the risks involved we have put together a series of Key Information Documents (KIDs) highlighting the risks and rewards related to each product. Read more
Additional Key Information Documents are available in our trading platform.

Saxo is a registered Trading Name of Saxo Capital Markets UK Ltd (‘Saxo’). Saxo is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, Firm Reference Number 551422. Registered address: 26th Floor, 40 Bank Street, Canary Wharf, London E14 5DA. Company number 7413871. Registered in England & Wales.

This website, including the information and materials contained in it, are not directed at, or intended for distribution to or use by, any person or entity who is a citizen or resident of or located in the United States, Belgium or any other jurisdiction where such distribution, publication, availability or use would be contrary to applicable law or regulation.

It is important that you understand that with investments, your capital is at risk. Past performance is not a guide to future performance. It is your responsibility to ensure that you make an informed decision about whether or not to invest with us. If you are still unsure if investing is right for you, please seek independent advice. Saxo assumes no liability for any loss sustained from trading in accordance with a recommendation.

Apple, iPad and iPhone are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc. Android is a trademark of Google Inc.

©   since 1992