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Select reference data provided by FactSet. For example, the ability to withstand losses or to adhere to a particular trading program in spite of trading losses are material points which can also adversely affect actual trading results. Risk capital is money that can be lost without jeopardizing ones’ financial security or life style. Futures and forex trading contains substantial risk and is not for every investor. StocksToTrade in no way warrants the solvency, financial condition, or investment advisability of any of the securities mentioned in communications or websites.

In October 2022, CFTC began publishing weekly and historical report data within a public reporting environment to support industry professionals needing to customize, search, filter, and download report data for analysis and trends. Each historical report is viewable with the data for the respective reporting week, along with all historical data compressed within an annual file. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (Commission or CFTC) publishes the Commitments of Traders (COT) reports to help the public understand market dynamics. Select market data provided by ICE Data Services.

Commitment of Traders Report Explained Simply

You will most likely want to sort by “Report Date” or “Report Week” and then by “Contract” or “Contract Market,” the choice really is up to you as to how you wish to refine the data. The Legacy Report has data available back to January 15, 1986. Do you maintain historical datasets and how can I access it? CFTC provides the Public Reporting Environment to allow users to customize your queries and export the data for your use. As part of my research, I require historical data from the COT Reports. For example, the Managed Money length for ethane on the CME is 5,762 lots long and 3,355 lots short.

Although it is published on Friday, the report contains trading data from the previous Tuesday. If your portfolio includes oil, mining, or other commodity-linked stocks, it’s worth watching the underlying markets. By showing when different groups of traders have more bearish or bullish outlooks, COT numbers can provide valuable context for market analysis. The reports can also provide tools for analyzing market sentiment and forecasting potential price movements. Reports are based on data supplied by brokers (or, in futures industry lingo, “futures commission merchants”), and by other parties, including futures exchanges. The CFTC publishes COT reports “to help the public understand market dynamics,” according to the regulator.

In the COT Report published weekly, I want to understand what the spreading position means. The spread number needs to be added to be both long and short sides, respectively. Because of resource constraints, we are currently only able to release this report once a week. The CFTC does not analyze the data nor make recommendations on it. What does this COT data mean, and how do I use it? No, historical data is not updated once published.

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• It’s called the Commitments of Traders (COT) report, a weekly rundown of what the biggest players are doing in the markets for crude oil, grain, metals, and other commodities, as well as financial-based instruments such as Treasury futures.
• This is where getting the commitment of traders report explained becomes so valuable.
• Copy top traders or share strategies with the community
• For investors who are curious about the futures markets—or just interested in how commodities trading works—the COT report offers a snapshot of who’s buying and selling.

THE DISAGGREGATED COMMITMENT OF TRADERS (DISAGGREGATED COT) REPORT

Others follow commercial traders’ positions, assuming they understand their markets best. For example, if managed money holds 200,000 long positions in crude oil futures and 75,000 short positions, those traders have a net long of 125,000 contracts. The COT report is a weekly summary enumerating the trading positions, known as “open interest,” of several categories of futures market participants—including big speculators—across an array of U.S.–based futures markets. Forex traders may use currency derivatives COT reports to find large net long or net short positions. The subtraction of the net long and short positions of commercial and non-commercial traders results in the nonreportable positions.

One theory is that “small speculators” are generally wrong and that the best position is contrary to the net non-reportable position. They are buying or selling only to speculate that they will exit their position at a profit, and plan to close their long or short position before the contract becomes due. This includes commodities, currencies, interest rates, and broad stock market indices (like S&P 500 futures). However, the big players active in futures (banks, funds) are usually major players in the spot market too. No, it’s best not to think of the COT report as a precise market timing tool for pinpointing exact peaks or troughs. By dissecting how commercial hedgers, large speculators, and other players are positioned, it provides shakepay review crucial context that price charts alone cannot convey.

• Traders can use the report to help them determine which positions they should take in their trades, whether that’s a short or a long position.
• Current and historical Commitments of Traders data is available on CFTC.gov, as is historical COT data going back to 1986 for Futures-Only reports, to 1995 for option-and-futures-combined reports, and to 2006 for the Supplemental report.
• The report is available as a futures only report or a combined options and futures report.
• As a rule, the aggregate of all traders’ positions reported to the CFTC represents 70 to 90 percent of the total open interest in any given market.2
• Non-reportable positions represent smaller traders whose positions do not meet the CFTC’s reporting thresholds.

These weekly flows provide valuable clues about the immediate buying or selling pressure influencing the market. Don’t just look at the absolute position levels; pay close attention to the “Change from Previous Report” figures. Compare the current Net Position of a trader group to its historical range over a significant period (e.g., the last 1, 3, or 5 years). The specific name (Non-Commercials, Managed Money, Leveraged Funds) depends on the report format being used.

Numerous studies have shown that the Commitment of Traders (COT) Report is a valuable tool for traders and analysts. By locking in prices, they aim to ensure financial stability regardless of market volatility. They use futures contracts to hedge against potential price drops in their crops. A hedge fund analyzes market conditions and economic indicators to forecast price movements in oil futures.

Reports Dated January 20, 2026 – Current Disaggregated Reports:

For the COT Futures-and-Options-Combined report, option open interest and traders’ option positions are computed on a futures-equivalent basis using delta factors supplied by the exchanges. While the position data is supplied by reporting firms, the actual trader category or classification is based on the predominant business purpose self-reported by traders on the CFTC Form 40 and is subject to review by CFTC staff for reasonableness. It provides a clear view of the positions held by different market participants and helps traders understand market dynamics and sentiment. For the unaware, by following these strategies traders take positions opposite to the prevailing sentiment indicated by non-commercial traders.

Disaggregated Report

To truly get the commitment of traders report explained, you need to understand its core components. They help answer “what is the commitment of traders report showing right now? They process the CFTC data and present it visually, often through charts showing the historical positioning of different trader groups, their net stances (longs minus shorts), and how these change week by week. Knowing this official source is step one in understanding the commitment of traders report explained. You’ll typically find the reports listed under their market data sections.

As you incorporate sophisticated analytical tools like the Commitment of Traders report, partnering with a supportive and well-equipped broker becomes even more important. While the COT report is a uniquely valuable tool, it’s essential to be aware of its limitations to use it effectively and avoid placing undue weight on its signals. Extreme positioning relative to historical norms, particularly by the Commercial category, can serve as an alert for potential trend exhaustion or reversal zones.

Commitment of Traders

This view helps analysts and traders understand the behavior and intentions of different market participants. This report provides a detailed view of the open interest and positions in major agricultural products, such as corn, soybeans, and wheat. This transparency helps traders and analysts understand market dynamics and make informed decisions. Among the several popular trading publications is the COT report, which is a crucial resource for anyone involved in futures trading. There is also participation in these markets by speculators who are not able to deliver on the contract or who have no need for the underlying commodity or instrument.

By categorizing traders in this way, the COT report provides a comprehensive bitbuy review view of market dynamics. The Traders in Financial Futures (TFF) Report focuses on financial futures markets. This report provides a clearer and more comprehensive view of the various roles that participants play in futures markets.

The official and definitive source is the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) website itself (cftc.gov). Think of it as a sentiment gauge, revealing who’s betting long and who’s betting short. Access agreements that support transparent trading operations. Use our app for quick, efficient, and accessible trading tools Join our partnership program to expand your trading opportunities ifc markets Access TradingView’s charts, real-time data, and tools, all in one platform.