Softs Report 05/05/2025

COTTON
General Comments: Cotton was higher last week and closed near the highs of the week. Trends are turning up in this market as planting conditions remain good. China said that the US had reached out fo them to start trade talks and that such talks were possible if conditions were met, including a reduction in tariffs. The news was considered a positive development on Friday. The demand side of the market is not robust but is hanging in there as the weekly export sales showed about 108,000 bales sold. Some rain was reported in west Texas last week, and farmers are in the fields. More showers are in the forecast for the Great Plains. Planting progress is about the same as the five year average and conditions of the crops should be good.
Overnight News: The USDA average price is now 67.55 ct/lb. ICE said that 0 notices were posted for May delivery and that total deliveries for the month are now 9 contracts.
Chart Trends: Trends in Cotton are mixed. Support is at 67.20, 66.20, and 65.70 July, with resistance of 68.60, 70.00 and 71.60 July.

COT — Supplemental Report – Option and Futures Combined Positions as of April 29, 2025
: Reportable Positions : Nonreportable
:—————————————————————————————- : Positions
: Non-Commercial : Commercial : Index Traders : Total
: Long : Short :Spreading: Long : Short : Long : Short : Long : Short : Long : Short
——————————————————————————————————————-
COTTON NO. 2 – ICE FUTURES U.S.
CFTC Code #033661 Open Interest is 254,628
: Positions :
: 29,518 70,750 60,727 80,736 95,234 71,116 13,788 242,097 240,500: 12,531 14,129
: Changes from: April 22, 2025 (Change in open interest: -5,327) :
: 2,344 -9,043 -1,520 -2,463 6,111 -3,909 -1,312 -5,549 -5,765: 222 438
: Percent of Open Interest Represented by Each Category of Trader :
: 11.6 27.8 23.8 31.7 37.4 27.9 5.4 95.1 94.5: 4.9 5.5
: Total Traders: 311 Number of Traders in Each Category :
: 73 105 98 74 66 44 23 251 234:
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FCOJ
General Comments: FCOJ closed mostly lower last week, but May was higher in delivery, highlighting tight supplies for the market. Ethe trends remain down in the market. USDA has reduced Florida production mostly at the expense of the greening disease and some extreme weather seen in the last couple of years. There are no weather concerns to speak of for Brazil or Florida right now although Brazil could turn hot and dry.
Overnight News: ICE said that 0 contracts were tendered for delivery against May futures and that total deliveries for the month are now 411 contracts.
Chart Trends: Trends in FCOJ are down. Support is at 244.00, 233.00, and 212.00 July, with resistance at 275.00, 287.00, and 301.00 July.

Disaggregated Commitments of Traders- Options and Futures Combined Positions as of April 29, 2025
: Reportable Positions :
:————————————————————————————————————- :
: Producer/Merchant : : : :
: Processor/User : Swap Dealers : Managed Money : Other Reportables :
: Long : Short : Long : Short :Spreading: Long : Short :Spreading: Long : Short :Spreading :
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FRZN CONCENTRATED ORANGE JUICE – ICE FUTURES U.S. (CONTRACTS OF 15,000 POUNDS) :
CFTC Code #040701 Open Interest is 12,456 :
: Positions :
: 3,986 6,825 476 34 106 1,906 1,086 10 1,903 61 2,551 :
: Changes from: April 22, 2025 :
: -180 -672 -8 -25 14 -2 168 1 33 -36 254 :
: Percent of Open Interest Represented by Each Category of Trader :
: 32.0 54.8 3.8 0.3 0.9 15.3 8.7 0.1 15.3 0.5 20.5 :
: Number of Traders in Each Category Total Traders: 47 :
: 10 7 . . . 6 9 . 13 . 5 :
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COFFEE
General Comments: New York and London were lower last week on what was reported to be general selling amid a rallying US Dollar. Prices are still very high and reflect the report of tight supplies. There are still ideas of good demand against ideas of less supplies available to the market. The lack of offers from Brazil continues even with the Robusta harvest started. Vietnam is done with its harvest. Hot and dry weather is in the forecast for Brazil longer term. Trends are up on the daily charts.
Overnight News: The ICO average price is 345.59 ct/lb. ICE NY said that 18 contracts were tendered for delivery against May futures and that total deliveries for the month are now 250 contracts.
Chart Trends: Trends in New York are mixed. Support is at 381.00, 375.00, and 363.00 July, and resistance is at 397.00, 407.00 and 419.00 July. Trends in London are mixed. Support is at 4880, 4760, and 4640 July, with resistance at 5370, 5520, and 5550 July.

COT — Supplemental Report – Option and Futures Combined Positions as of April 29, 2025
: Reportable Positions : Nonreportable
:—————————————————————————————- : Positions
: Non-Commercial : Commercial : Index Traders : Total
: Long : Short :Spreading: Long : Short : Long : Short : Long : Short : Long : Short
——————————————————————————————————————-
COFFEE C – ICE FUTURES U.S.
CFTC Code #083731 Open Interest is 196,936
: Positions :
: 38,288 8,670 57,714 47,541 116,126 43,834 7,607 187,377 190,117: 9,559 6,819
: Changes from: April 22, 2025 (Change in open interest: 19,036) :
: 4,912 960 10,451 -1,189 7,687 3,662 -729 17,836 18,369: 1,201 668
: Percent of Open Interest Represented by Each Category of Trader :
: 19.4 4.4 29.3 24.1 59.0 22.3 3.9 95.1 96.5: 4.9 3.5
: Total Traders: 334 Number of Traders in Each Category :
: 98 60 94 87 109 45 18 275 249:
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SUGAR
General Comments: Both markets were lower last week as ideas of good supplies and less demand continue. China has been a buyer with cheaper prices to help provide some support. Thai Sugar has moved to China lately and in volume. There were reports of some scattered showers in center south Brazil and reports that India will have comfortable beginning stocks to help cushion the blow from reduced production for the coming year. Sugar production in Brazil’s center-south region was 731,000 metric tons in the first half of April, UNICA said. CONAB said that Brazil’s sugar output in the center-south region is expected to hit 41.8 million metric tons in the current 2025/26 season, up 3.7% from last year
Overnight News:
Chart Trends: Trends in New York are down. Support is at 1690, 1640, and 1610 July and resistance is at 1760, 1790, and 1820 July. Trends in London are down. Support is at 488.00, 484.00, and 478.00 August, with resistance at 508.00, 513.00, and 521.00 August.

COT — Supplemental Report – Option and Futures Combined Positions as of April 29, 2025
: Reportable Positions : Nonreportable
:—————————————————————————————- : Positions
: Non-Commercial : Commercial : Index Traders : Total
: Long : Short :Spreading: Long : Short : Long : Short : Long : Short : Long : Short
——————————————————————————————————————-
SUGAR NO. 11 – ICE FUTURES U.S.
CFTC Code #080732 Open Interest is 936,348
: Positions :
: 100,891 144,159 186,586 360,858 496,308 228,713 46,766 877,048 873,819: 59,301 62,529
: Changes from: April 22, 2025 (Change in open interest: -6,595) :
: -1,243 -2,710 6,432 -16,881 -15,838 5,653 2,876 -6,040 -9,240: -555 2,645
: Percent of Open Interest Represented by Each Category of Trader :
: 10.8 15.4 19.9 38.5 53.0 24.4 5.0 93.7 93.3: 6.3 6.7
: Total Traders: 235 Number of Traders in Each Category :
: 54 54 76 73 70 38 18 207 179:
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COCOA
General Comments: New York and London were lower last week, but held to the trading range seen on the daily charts as the US Dollar turned firmer. Trends are mixed in London and in New York, and demand ideas got hurt as the tariffs will increase costs to US buyers of chocolates. Demand ideas have been under pressure on the high prices currently seen for Cocoa due to bad production in West Africa. Cocoa imports are now subject to a 10% tariff at minimum.
Overnight News: ICE said that 0 contracts were posted for delivery against May futures and that total deliveries for the month are now 1,085 contracts.
Chart Trends: Trends in New York are mixed. Support is at 8400, 8080, and 7810 July, with resistance at 10080, 10450, and 10870 July. Trends in London are mixed. Support is at 6050, 5910, and 5690 July, with resistance at 6650, 6850, and 6890 July.

COT — Supplemental Report – Option and Futures Combined Positions as of April 29, 2025
: Reportable Positions : Nonreportable
:—————————————————————————————- : Positions
: Non-Commercial : Commercial : Index Traders : Total
: Long : Short :Spreading: Long : Short : Long : Short : Long : Short : Long : Short
——————————————————————————————————————-
COCOA – ICE FUTURES U.S.
CFTC Code #073732 Open Interest is 117,634
: Positions :
: 15,496 9,121 36,003 39,272 57,839 17,128 9,272 107,900 112,234: 9,734 5,400
: Changes from: April 22, 2025 (Change in open interest: 2,191) :
: 1,318 401 588 -602 2,187 540 -483 1,844 2,693: 347 -502
: Percent of Open Interest Represented by Each Category of Trader :
: 13.2 7.8 30.6 33.4 49.2 14.6 7.9 91.7 95.4: 8.3 4.6
: Total Traders: 159 Number of Traders in Each Category :
: 52 34 59 34 34 28 13 142 115:
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Questions? Ask Jack Scoville today at 312-264-4322