Chinese inventory auction weighs on cotton priceUS cotton prices are currently hovering at seven year lows following a -8.7%* fall year to date. The decline comes after an announcement from China’s National Development and Reform Commission detailing plans to offload a portion of the nation’s vast cotton reserves, a move which risks further depressing import demand from the world’s largest consumer. Cotton prices have fallen 73% from a 2011 peak of over USc 200/lb as rapidly declining import demand from China and tough fibre competition from man-made materials (such as polyester) have pressured global prices (see Figure 1). However, at current depressed levels a tactical opportunity may be on the horizon. Chinese cotton auctions, like the one recently announced, have, in the past, fallen short of market expectations. If the upcoming stock sale disappoints then cotton prices could quickly become subject to a short coveringrally, especially as speculative short cotton positions currently sit at record highs. In addition, there are some initial signs that the fundamental picture of the global cotton market may be improving, albeit by a small amount.
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Market awaits auction details
Last year, a similar cotton auction held by the Chinese authorities failed to muster considerable buying interest as offered prices exceeded market levels, resulting in only 3.4% of the total stock on offer being sold. Details of the upcoming inventory sale remain unknown. Revelation of its size and speed will have considerable bearing on cotton prices in the near term. Should the auction fail to meet market expectations, cotton prices have potential to gain some upward momentum as speculators with short cotton positions are forced to hedge exposure. Similarly, risks lie to the downside if the opposite occurs, however the market will be harder to surprise in this direction as negative implications from the auction have already been somewhat priced in.
While fundamentals for cotton prices remain far from ideal, there are some small signs of improvement. Recent reports from the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) show that global cotton stocks are set to fall by approximately 8% this year, the first decline in five years. The decline in ending stocks looks to be driven by falling production from China as domestic producers reduce output in response to ongoing price weakness.
Shorts near record levels
Net speculative cotton positioning reached a 10 year low this month as short positions rose to an all-time high and speculative long positions retreated to a two year low (see Figure 2). The rapid accumulation of short positions leaves cotton prices vulnerable to a pullback, should an appropriate catalyst emerge. With the upcoming Chinese reserve auction at the forefront of market concerns, it has the most potential to be a cause of such a pullback.
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Investors wishing to express the investment views outlined above may consider using the following ETF Securities ETPs:
COTTON
ETFS Cotton (COTN) ETFS 2x Daily Long Cotton (LCTO) ETFS 1x Daily Short Cotton (SCTO) ETFS EUR Daily Hedged Cotton (ECTN) Swiss Franc Daily Hedged Cotton (CCTN)
The complete ETF Securities product list can be found here.
For more information contact
ETF Securities Research team ETF Securities (UK) Limited T +44 (0) 207 448 4336 E info@etfsecurities.com
Important Information
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This communication has been provided by ETF Securities (UK) Limited (”ETFS UK”) which is authorised and regulated by the United Kingdom Financial Conduct Authority.
A – Research commentaries from last week developments
Markets reacted to Trump tariffs – Bitcoin stands
Global markets fell sharply after President Trump’s new 25% tariffs on Chinese imports. Stocks led the decline – the Nasdaq 100 is now down -14% since the election, and the S&P 500 -12.3%. Crypto reacted too, but not uniformly:
• Altcoins such as SOL and ETH were hit hardest (down over 30% since November)
• Bitcoin and the Nasdaq Crypto Index (NCI) showed resilience, gaining +14.3% and +9.3%, respectively since Election
This kind of selloff tends to erase diversification — everything moves together. But it’s essential to take a longer view:
• Since Trump’s election, only three assets have consistently outperformed: Bitcoin, NCI, and gold.
• Last week, only gold outpaced BTC, confirming the role of digital assets as a strategic long-term allocation — even in volatile regimes.
Regulatory tailwinds are building
The next phase of crypto decoupling could come from policy. In the US, the signals are turning positive:
• The STABLE Act advanced in Congress, with Trump urging swift approval
• A tokenized fund paid $4.17M in dividends last month, proving blockchain’s real-world income potential
• The SEC has launched a review of past crypto guidance — a move toward clearer rules and broader institutional comfort
Bottom line: In a week where most assets fell, crypto stood out. That’s not a coincidence — it’s a signal.
B – CIO Monthly Notes – Crypto’s Political Tailwinds Are Blowing Hard
• Following a week in Washington, our CIO outlines how crypto is gaining bipartisan traction in DC.
• Key takeaway: regulatory clarity is coming faster than expected, and institutions are taking note.
C – March 2025 ETP performance overview
As of 31/03/25 – Source: Hashdex and Bloomberg. Performances in USD.
nxtAssets Bitcoin direct ETP (NXTB ETP) med ISIN DE000NXTA018 är en börshandlad produkt som spårar värdet på kryptovalutan Bitcoin.
Den börshandlade produktens TER (total cost ratio) uppgår till 1,00 % p.a. Denna ETN replikerar resultatet av det underliggande indexet med en skuldförbindelse med säkerheter som backas upp av fysiska innehav av kryptovalutan.
nxtAssets Bitcoin Direct ETP är en mycket litet ETN med 1 miljon euro tillgångar under förvaltning. Denna ETN lanserades den 18 december 2024 och har sin hemvist i Tyskland.
Om produkten
Med nxtAssets Bitcoin direkt investerar du direkt och säkert i Bitcoin. Varje andel av denna börshandlade produkt (ETP) backas till 100 % upp av fysiskt insatta Bitcoins. Detta säkerställer en korrekt återspegling av prisutvecklingen och ger dig möjligheten att när som helst få dina innehav utbetalda till din personliga plånbok.
Det betyder att det går att handla andelar i denna ETP genom de flesta svenska banker och Internetmäklare, till exempel Nordnet, SAVR, DEGIRO och Avanza.
Amundi EUR Short Term High Yield Corporate Bond ESG UCITSETFinvesterar i BB/B-klassade eurodenominerade företagsobligationer. Fonden följer en ”bäst-i-klassen”-strategi och väljer företag med de bästa ESG-betygen inom samma sektor.
Amundi S&P 500 Equal-Weight UCITSETF spårar resultatet för de 500 största börsnoterade företagen i USA, där varje företag får samma vikt i kvartalsöversynen. ETF:en är tillgänglig för investerare i handelsvalutan euro och US-dollar.
The Future of European Defence UCITSETF investerar i försvarsföretag som genererar minst 50 procent av sina intäkter från tillverkning och utveckling av militära flygplan, försvarsutrustning eller cybersäkerhetskontrakt med ett NATO+-medlemsland. Endast företag med huvudkontor i ett NATO+-land beaktas, förutom USA.
WisdomTree STOXX Europe Aerospace & Defence 3x Daily Leveraged ETNär en säker seddel som spårar prestanda för STOXX Europe Total Market Aerospace & Defence Index med trippel hävstång. Referensindexet består av företag med huvudkontor i Europa som genererar minst 50 procent av sina intäkter från tillverkning, service, leverans och distribution till flyg- och militärförsvarsindustrin.
Produktutbudet inom Deutsche Börses ETF & ETP-segment omfattar för närvarande totalt 2 402 ETFer, 198 ETCer och 256 ETNer. Med detta urval och en genomsnittlig månatlig handelsvolym på mer än €21 miljarder är Xetra den ledande handelsplatsen för ETFer och ETPer i Europa.