Market Watches Mother Nature as Cotton Planting Begins
Time moves on, but old crop cotton prices remain mired in the doldrums of a flat market and will continue to be stuck in those same doldrums for another 8-10 weeks.
Market Movement from 17th Mar 2025 to 22nd Mar 2025.
• NY futures are melting again due to macroeconomic concerns. Despite strong export shipments, the market has largely ignored this factor. Additionally, cancellations from China have added further pressure. As a result, NY May futures close with a significant weekly loss of 210 points.
Cotton prices were lower this week while stock markets regained some recent losses. Export shipments stayed strong, but mill demand softened. With a weak technical and fundamental outlook and broader economic factors weighing on prices, can any positive shift occur or are challenges likely to persist? Get QuickTake’s read on the week’s events in five minutes.
Market Movement from 10th Mar 2025 to 15th Mar 2025.
• A neutral to bullish WASDE report, combined with strong exports, has turned the market green. The NY May contract closed with a gain of 130 points week-over-week.
• The March 2025 USDA-WASDE report keeps the U.S. cotton balance sheet unchanged but lowers the season average upland farm price to 63 cents per pound, while global production, consumption, and trade rise, leading to an 80,000-bale reduction in ending stocks.