DTN Morning Cotton Commentary          03/27 07:35

   Cotton Takes a Breather 

   After running up the "Bear's Back" on Thursday, the cotton market is taking 
a Friday rest. 

Keith Brown
DTN Contributing Cotton Analyst

   After running up the "Bear's Back" on Thursday, the cotton market is taking 
a Friday rest. The market had been encased in a sideways pattern for nearly two 
years and has recently emerged to the upside. That event has caused the heavily 
net-short speculative funds to begin covering their negative positions and thus 
this week's price improvement. Traders are now on edge for this weekend in the 
Middle East theater, as well as Friday's CFTC updates and next week's acres 
intentions.

   Today at 3:30 p.m. EDT, the CFTC will issue its Commitments of Traders 
report. At last count, CFTC reported managed-money funds were net-short some 
40,000 positions, about one-half their record peak of 81,000-plus contracts.

   The White House announced Thursday the Trump/Xi trade trip is now set for 
May 14-15. In addition, President Xi will visit Washington at a later day. 
Lastly, Xi expressed understanding that Trump had to reschedule the original 
meeting. 

   Early expectations regarding USDA's 2026 Prospective Plantings report next 
Tuesday are fairly tight-knit. The industry average estimate is 9.22 million 
acres. Previous guesses were the USDA Ag Forum's 9.40 million and the NCC's 
8.99 million acres. The data will be out, along with Quarterly Grain Stocks, at 
noon EDT Tuesday.  

   The National Climate Prediction Center has published some general thoughts 
on 2026 weather conditions. For the spring, the current drought is expected to 
expand in the U.S. West and in parts of the U.S. Plains. There will likely be a 
transition for La Nina to an ENSO-neutral in April-May (55% chance). During 
June through August, an El Nino event is forecasted (62%), and could persist to 
the end of this year. That event might bring wetter conditions across the U.S. 
Cotton Belt, but hot and dry conditions across swaths of the U.S. Midwest. 
Currently, the Center shows 91% of the U.S. Cotton Belt suffering drought 
conditions, up from last week's reading of 90%.

   Chart support for July cotton stands at 70.25 cents and 69.80 cents, with 
resistance around 72.00 cents and 72.50 cents. Friday morning's estimated 
volume is 19,275 contracts.

   Keith Brown can be reached at commodityconsults@gmail.com or by calling 
(229) 890-7780.




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