Arabica coffee prices pause after major rally Arabica coffee prices pause after major rally Arabica coffee prices pause after major rally

Arabica coffee prices pause after major rally

Commodities 3 minutes to read
Picture of Ole Hansen
Ole Hansen

Head of Commodity Strategy

Summary:  Arabica coffee prices soared by nearly 33% over the course of the past month, but the rally has now paused after hedge funds cut their record short position in half.


Arabica coffee (KCZ8 or COFFEENYDEC18) has paused after rallying by close to one-third during the past month. Renewed BRL strength before and after the first round of the Brazilian election on October 7 was the event that helped trigger a major squeeze. 

In the weeks and months up until this event, hedge funds had been accumulating a record and ultimately unsustainable short position. Hedge funds will continue to sell into weakness – or buy into strength – until the technical and/or fundamental picture changes. In this case, it was primarily a change in the technical outlook that created the mad rush towards the exit. 

During a four-week period up until October 16 hedge funds cut their net-short in half. With that, the need to continue buying has been reduced, at least as long a renewed upside push above $1.26/lb is avoided. 
Funds positioning
As mentioned in a previous update, the first major level of resistance was $1.26/lb, the 38.2% retracement of the 2016-2018 sell-off. Having found resistance at this level, the market is now consolidating with focus on BRL and the second round of the Brazilian presidential election on October 28. In order for the bullish sentiment to be maintained, coffee needs to find support ahead of $1.14/lb, something it has so far managed to do. 
Coffee
Source: Saxo Bank

Disclaimer

The Saxo Bank Group entities each provide execution-only service and access to Analysis permitting a person to view and/or use content available on or via the website. This content is not intended to and does not change or expand on the execution-only service. Such access and use are at all times subject to (i) The Terms of Use; (ii) Full Disclaimer; (iii) The Risk Warning; (iv) the Rules of Engagement and (v) Notices applying to Saxo News & Research and/or its content in addition (where relevant) to the terms governing the use of hyperlinks on the website of a member of the Saxo Bank Group by which access to Saxo News & Research is gained. Such content is therefore provided as no more than information. In particular no advice is intended to be provided or to be relied on as provided nor endorsed by any Saxo Bank Group entity; nor is it to be construed as solicitation or an incentive provided to subscribe for or sell or purchase any financial instrument. All trading or investments you make must be pursuant to your own unprompted and informed self-directed decision. As such no Saxo Bank Group entity will have or be liable for any losses that you may sustain as a result of any investment decision made in reliance on information which is available on Saxo News & Research or as a result of the use of the Saxo News & Research. Orders given and trades effected are deemed intended to be given or effected for the account of the customer with the Saxo Bank Group entity operating in the jurisdiction in which the customer resides and/or with whom the customer opened and maintains his/her trading account. Saxo News & Research does not contain (and should not be construed as containing) financial, investment, tax or trading advice or advice of any sort offered, recommended or endorsed by Saxo Bank Group and should not be construed as a record of our trading prices, or as an offer, incentive or solicitation for the subscription, sale or purchase in any financial instrument. To the extent that any content is construed as investment research, you must note and accept that the content was not intended to and has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such, would be considered as a marketing communication under relevant laws.

Please read our disclaimers:
Notification on Non-Independent Investment Research (https://www.home.saxo/legal/niird/notification)
Full disclaimer (https://www.home.saxo/legal/disclaimer/saxo-disclaimer)
Full disclaimer (https://www.home.saxo/legal/saxoselect-disclaimer/disclaimer)

Saxo Bank A/S (Headquarters)
Philip Heymans Alle 15
2900
Hellerup
Denmark

Contact Saxo

Select region

International
International

Trade responsibly
All trading carries risk. Read more. To help you understand the risks involved we have put together a series of Key Information Documents (KIDs) highlighting the risks and rewards related to each product. Read more

This website can be accessed worldwide however the information on the website is related to Saxo Bank A/S and is not specific to any entity of Saxo Bank Group. All clients will directly engage with Saxo Bank A/S and all client agreements will be entered into with Saxo Bank A/S and thus governed by Danish Law.

Apple and the Apple logo are trademarks of Apple Inc, registered in the US and other countries and regions. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc. Google Play and the Google Play logo are trademarks of Google LLC.