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Cotton Close Mixed on Friday

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⚡ Quantum Brief
Cotton futures closed mixed on March 20, 2026, with near-term contracts falling 3-36 points while deferred contracts rose 8-32 points, reflecting shifting market sentiment. Speculators slashed net short positions by a record 26,549 contracts in the week ending March 17, reducing the total net short to 40,205 contracts, signaling potential bullish momentum. U.S. cotton export commitments lag at 9.354 million bales—9% below last year and 83% of USDA’s forecast—while shipments trail the 5-year average by 5%. The Cotlook A Index held steady at 79.35 cents/lb, while ICE certified stocks remained flat at 115,640 bales, suggesting stable supply levels. Crude oil surged $2.67 to $98.81, and the U.S. dollar index climbed to $99.295, adding macroeconomic pressure to commodity markets.
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AAPL TSLA AMZN META AMD NVDA PEP COST ADBE GOOG AMGN HON INTC INTU NFLX ADP SBUX MRNA AAPL TSLA AMZN META AMD NVDA PEP COST ADBE GOOG AMGN HON INTC INTU NFLX ADP SBUX MRNA AAPL TSLA AMZN META AMD NVDA PEP COST ADBE GOOG AMGN HON INTC INTU NFLX ADP SBUX MRNA Stocks Cotton Close Mixed on Friday March 20, 2026 — 07:51 pm EDT Written by Austin Schroeder for Barchart-> Cotton futures were down 3 to 36 points in the 2026 contracts on Friday, with deferred contracts up 8 to 32 points. May was 146 points in the green this week. Crude oil was up $2.67 on the day to $98.81, with the US dollar index up $0.237 to $99.295. Commitment of Traders data showed specs liquidating a large portion of their net short position in the week ending on 3/17, cutting it by 26,549 contracts. That was the largest Tuesday/Tuesday reduction to a net short position on record and took the net short to 40,205 contracts. Don’t Miss a Day: From crude oil to coffee, sign up free for Barchart’s best-in-class commodity analysis. Export Sales data has total cotton export commitments at 9.354 million RB, which is down 9% from last year. That is 83% of USDA’s forecast and lags the 96% average pace from the last 5 years. Shipments at 5.303 million RB are 5% below a year ago and 47% of the USDA export estimate, behind the 52% average shipping pace.The Seam showed sales of 3,286 bales on March 19, averaging 65.60 cents/lb. The Cotlook A Index was steady on Thursday at 79.35 cents. ICE certified cotton stocks were unchanged on 3/18, with the certified stocks level at 115,640 bales.

The Adjusted World Price was raised by 2.72 cents to 54.22 cents/lb on Thursday. May 26 Cotton closed at 67.31, down 36 points,Jul 26 Cotton closed at 69.33, down 28 points,Dec 26 Cotton closed at 71.96, down 3 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 here. More news from Barchart Spreads Unwinding: Soybean Meal Prices Highlight a Buying Opportunity Here Corn Prices Are Trending Higher. 1 Options Trade to Make Now.

Grain Prices Are Trending Higher: What Bulls Should Watch This Week Is Cotton Preparing to Take Off on the Upside? The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Tags Stocks Barchart With headquarters in the heart of Chicago's financial district, Barchart has been an industry-leader since 1995 when we launched Barchart.com as one of the first websites for commodities and futures market data. Since then, we have evolved into a global financial technology leader providing market data and services to the global financial, media, and commodity industries. More articles by this source-> More Related Articles This data feed is not available at this time. Data is currently not available • Sign up for the TradeTalks newsletter to receive your weekly dose of trading news, trends and education. Delivered Wednesdays.

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