67.90 % of retail investors lose their capital when trading CFDs with this provider.
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 67.90 % of retail investors lose their capital when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

Positions of large speculators according to the COT report as at 21/5/2021

The total net positions of speculators in the USD index grew by 200 contracts last week. This change is the result of a decrease in short positions by 200 contracts.

 

The total net positions of speculators rose last week in the euro, the Australian dollar and the Canadian dollar.

 

The decline in the total net positions of speculators occurred in the British pound, the Japanese yen, the New Zealand dollar and the Swiss franc.

 

Stock markets continue to rise, although consolidation took place last week, probably due to concerns about rising inflation. The growth of stock markets is a positive signal especially for commodity currencies. In the event of a decline in US stock markets, the Australian dollar and the New Zealand dollar, which are currently strongly correlated with the SP 500 index, could fall as well.

 

The positions of speculators in individual currencies

The total net positions of large speculators are shown in Table 1: If the value is positive then the large speculators are net long. If the value is negative, the large speculators are net short.

 

 

21/5/2021

14/5/2021

7/5/2021

30/4/2021

23/4/2021

16/4/2021

USD index

2,700

2,500

2,100

2,700

3,500

6,000

EUR

99,900

93,900

84,800

81,000

80,800

66,900

GBP

24 900

28,200

19,800

29,200

25,200

25,600

AUD

3 000

2,400

1,500

-1,400

-1,800

3,800

NZD

8 400

9,300

8,600

7,000

4,300

2,500

CAD

46 100

38,600

25,900

15,722

13,200

2,400

CHF

-4,300

-2,900

100

-700

-1,600

800

JPY

-50 900

-41,700

-41,500

-48,500

-59,800

-58,300

Table 1: Total net positions of large speculators

 

Notes:

Large speculators are traders who trade large volumes of futures contracts, which, if the set limits are met, must be reported to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Typically, this includes traders such as funds or large banks. These traders mostly focus on trading long-term trends and their goal is to make money on speculation with the instrument.

The total net positions of large speculators are the difference between the number of long contracts and the number of short contracts of large speculators. Positive value shows that large speculators are net long. Negative value shows that large speculators are net short. The data is published every Friday and is delayed because it shows the status on Tuesday of the week.

The total net positions of large speculators show the sentiment this group has in the market. A positive value of the total net positions of speculators indicates bullish sentiment, a negative value of total net positions indicates bearish sentiment.

When interpreting charts and values, it is important to follow the overall trend of total net positions. The turning points are also very important, i.e. the moments when the total net positions go from a positive value to a negative one and vice versa. Important are also extreme values of total net positions as they often serve as signals of a trend reversal.

Sentiment according to the reported positions of large players in futures markets is not immediately reflected in the movement of currency pairs. Therefore, information on sentiment is more likely to be used by traders who take longer trades and are willing to hold their positions for several weeks or even months.

Detailed analysis of selected currencies

Explanations:
 

Purple line and histogram in the chart window: this is information on the total net position of large speculators. This information shows the strength and sentiment of an ongoing trend.

Green line in the indicator window: these are the bullish positions of large speculators.

Red line in the indicator window: indicates the bearish positions of large speculators.

If there is a green line above the red line in the indicator window, then it means that the overall net positions are positive, i.e. that bullish sentiment prevails. If, on the other hand, the green line is below the red line, then bearish sentiment prevails and the overall net positions of the big speculators are negative.

Information on the positions of so-called hedgers is not shown in the chart, due to the fact that their main goal is not speculation, but hedging. Therefore, this group usually takes the opposite positions than the large speculators. For this reason, the positions of hedgers are inversely correlated with the movement of the price of the underlying asset. However, this inverse correlation shows the ongoing trend less clearly than the position of large speculators.

Charts are made with the use of www.tradingview.com.
 

Euro

Date

Weekly change in open interest

Weekly change in total net positions of speculators

Weekly change in total long positions of speculators

Weekly change in total short positions of speculators

Sentiment

21/5/2021 30,400 6,000 9,000 3,000 Bullish
14/5/2021 19,800 9,100 16,900 7,800 Bullish
7/5/2021 5,300 3,800 6,000 2,200 Bullish
 
COT-21-5-obr-1-1.png
Figure 1: The euro and COT positions of large speculators on a weekly chart


The total net positions of speculators grew by 6,000 contracts last week. This change is due to an increase in long positions by 9,000 contracts and an increase in short positions by 3,000 contracts.

The price of the euro strengthened slightly last week and tested the resistance band.

Long-term resistance: 1.2240 - 1.2350

Long-term support: 1.1700 - 1.1750
 

The British pound

Date

Weekly change in open interest

Weekly change in total net positions of speculators

Weekly change in total long positions of speculators

Weekly change in total short positions of speculators

Sentiment

21/5/2021 -800 -3,300 -1,900 1,400 Weakening bullish
14/5/2021 21,200 8,400 12,800 4,400 Bullish
7/5/2021 -8,500 -9,400 -7,700 1700 Weakening bullish

 

COT-21-5-obr-2-1.png
Figure 2: The GBP and COT positions of large speculators on a weekly chart


Last week, the total net positions of speculators fell by 3,300 contracts. This change is the result of a decrease in long positions by 1,900 contracts, while net short positions increased by 1,400 contracts.

The pound continued to strengthen last week and tested the resistance band.

 

Long-term resistance: 1.42-1.4350

 

Long-term support: 1.3670-1.3700
 

The Australian dollar

Date

Weekly change in open interest

Weekly change in total net positions of speculators

Weekly change in total long positions of speculators

Weekly change in total short positions of speculators

Sentiment

21/5/2021 -3,500 600 -1,300 -1,900 Bullish
14/5/2021 3,300 900 800 -100 Bullish
7/5/2021 -3,100 2,900 -1,400 -4,200 Bullish
 
COT-21-5-obr-3-1.png
Figure 3: The AUD and COT positions of large speculators on a weekly chart


Last week, the total net positions of speculators grew by 600 contracts. This change is due to a decrease in long positions by 1,300 and a decrease in short positions by 1,900 contracts.

The Australian dollar continued to weaken last week and the price reached a rising trend line. If it breaks down, the pair might continue to weaken.

Long-term resistance: 0.7870-0.8000

 

Long-term support: 0.7530-0.7600
 

The New Zealand dollar

 

Date

Weekly change in open interest

Weekly change in total net positions of speculators

Weekly change in total long positions of speculators

Weekly change in total short positions of speculators

Sentiment

21/5/2021 -2,300 -900 -2,800 -1,900 Weakening bullish
14/5/2021 1,000 700 0 -700 Bullish
7/5/2021 400 1,600 500 -1,100 Bullish

COT-21-5-obr-4-1.png
Figure 4: The NZD and the position of large speculators on a weekly chart


Last week, total net positions fell by 900 contracts. This change is the result of a decrease in long positions by 2,800 and a decrease in a number of short contracts by 1900.

Because this pair is correlated with the AUDUSD, the NZDUSD also continued to weaken last week.

Resistance: 0.7370-0.7450

The nearest support: 0.6900-0.6960

67.90 % of retail investors lose their capital when trading CFDs with this provider.
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 67.90 % of retail investors lose their capital when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.