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Summary: Hedge funds cut bullish bets on commodities by 18% to 457k lots. While gold, silver, copper and grains were sold as the dollar rose, the oil long expanded further in response to the US decision not to extend waivers to the ban on Iranian oil.
Saxo Bank publishes two weekly Commitment of Traders reports (COT) covering leveraged fund positions in commodities, bonds and stock index futures. For IMM currency futures and the VIX, we use the broader measure called non-commercial.
To download your copy of the Commitment of Traders: Commodity report for the week ending April 23, click here.
The Brent and WTI combined long reached 711k lots, the highest since October 9 last year. Some 117k lots have been added since Brent broke above $70/b and despite supportive fundamentals, a short-term deterioration in the technical outlook following Friday’s ugly close could now leave some recently established longs at risk. Also noting a very elevated long/short ratio in RBOB Gasoline at 35.
Gold’s net-short expanded further to reach 22k lots, the highest since November 27. The slump below support at $1,275/oz last Tuesday attracted additional momentum sellers before the strong recovery into the weekend. At this stage it would probably require a continued rally back above $1,300 before short positions capitulate once again.
Copper traders reacted to the stronger dollar by once again reversing their net positions to a short of 7k lots, the most bearish in nine weeks.
The record short across the three major crops of corn, wheat and soybeans expanded further to reach 520k lots. Most dramatic is the 322k lots record short in corn followed by 130k lots in soybeans, also a record. With such an elevated and one-sided position these shorts will increasingly be exposed to any short-term change in the technical and/or fundamental outlook.
The livestock sector has been left exposed to long liquidation after recent weeks of strong buying. Sharp reversals in the prices of live cattle and lean hogs helped drive a 7% five-day slump in the Bloomberg Livestock index last week.
What is the Commitments of Traders report?
The Commitments of Traders (COT) report is issued by the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) every Friday at 15:30 EST with data from the week ending the previous Tuesday. The report breaks down the open interest across major futures markets from bonds, stock index, currencies and commodities. The ICE Futures Europe Exchange issues a similar report, also on Fridays, covering Brent crude oil and gas oil.
In commodities, the open interest is broken into the following categories: Producer/Merchant/Processor/User; Swap Dealers; Managed Money and other.
In financials the categories are Dealer/Intermediary; Asset Manager/Institutional; Managed Money and other.
Our focus is primarily on the behaviour of Managed Money traders such as commodity trading advisors (CTA), commodity pool operators (CPO), and unregistered funds.
They are likely to have tight stops and no underlying exposure that is being hedged. This makes them most reactive to changes in fundamental or technical price developments. It provides views about major trends but also helps to decipher when a reversal is looming.
While a deep recession may not be iminent thanks to central bank policy, interest rates will have to stay high for longer, and this will be accompanied by volatility risk from the unwinding of bubbles, especially within AI.
Equities: The AI fever pushes market to new extremes
The emergence of advanced AI systems is by far the most surprising event this year, turning everything upside down, while risks and benefits are debated. AI will also become an arms race between the US and China.
China faces challenges from generative AI amidst the fragmentation game
As China navigates global fragmentation, its cycle of technology application, productivity enhancement, and growth is threatened by US breakthroughs in generative AI, limited computing power, and geopolitical tensions.
Japan’s riposte to aging and productivity headwinds: robots with generative AI
Japan’s expertise in semiconductors and robotic integration could be the foundation of AI dominance. Combining two of this year's themes, Japanese equities and artificial intelligence, brings a wave of opportunities.
The AI fever has turned the technology into a darling, pushing crypto further into no-man’s-land. There are striking similarities between AI and crypto, and if these are to come full circle, AI won't be spared for bubbles.
Artificial Intelligence: a promising gamechanger for the portfolio?
Stocks related to artificial intelligence (AI) have appeared on investors' radars. Expectations are high, but it may be necessary to consider how to get exposure to AI in a diversified way.
The USD is on its back foot as markets celebrate an eventual Fed rate peak and steady long US yields. The stakes are even higher for the Japanese yen if longer major sovereign yield curves have to price in economic acceleration.
While commodities, broadly speaking, have faced some tough months, a partial reversal during June could signal that the asset class is getting back on its feet with energy holding up and precious metals with upside potential.
Fixed income: To hike or not to hike, that is the question
As inflation remains high central banks face hard decisions about whether they should keep hiking interest rates or stop. Meanwhile, the rise of AI creates bubble-like conditions that only make the decision harder.
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