Positions of large speculators according to the COT report as at 3/1/2021

Total net speculator positions in the USD index rose by 100 contracts last week. This change is the result of a decrease in long positions by 5,100 contracts and a decrease in short positions by 5,200 contracts.

The decline in total net positions occurred in all other currencies tracked except the Japanese yen, which bounced off the bottom in an environment of risk-off sentiment.

Speculators' positions in the yen have been negative since March 2021, when contracts fell into negative territory. Bearish sentiment reached a short-term high just five weeks ago on November 2, when speculators' total net positions fell to a total of -107,600 contracts. Since that week, sentiment in the Japanese yen has improved by a total of +28,758 contracts.
 

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.
 

	3/1/2022	24/12/2021	17/12/2021	10/12/2021	3/12/2021	26/11/2021
USD index	36 800	35 100	31 200	34 900	35 900	35 800
EUR	-6 600	-10 200	-11 900	-8 300	-23 200	-16 500
GBP	-50 700	-57 700	-50 700	-38 300	-38 900	-34 600
AUD	-81 700	-80 400	-78 900	-81 800	-80 200	-63 300
NZD	-8 400	-6 100	-5 900	10 700	10 600	13 900
CAD	-10 300	-9 900	-13 100	-9 400	-14 100	-3 100
CHF	-10 700	-9 200	-8 300	-12 100	-14 200	-11 400
JPY	-53 100	-52 300	-53 500	-63 100	-78 900	-97 300

_{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

Datum	Týdenní změna open interest	Týdenní změna celkových čistých pozic spekulantů	Týdenní změna long pozic spekulantů	Týdenní změna short pozic spekulantů	Sentiment
3. 1. 2022	1 000	3 600	2 000	-1 600	Weakening bullish
24. 12. 2022	10 500	7 100	7 100	5 400	Weakening bullish
17. 12. 2022	-54 500	-3 600	-5 300	-1 700	Bearish

 

The euro continues to move in a range between 1.12 - 1.1380. Overall, however, the EURUSD pair is still in a downtrend.

Long-term resistance: 1.1350 - 1.1380
Long-term support: 1.1150 - 1.1180
Short-term support: 1.1220 -1.1240

 

Britská libra

Datum	Týdenní změna open interest	Týdenní změna celkových čistých pozic spekulantů	Týdenní změna long pozic spekulantů	Týdenní změna short pozic spekulantů	Sentiment
3. 1. 2022	-2 400	7 000	2 300	-4 700	Weakening bullish
24. 12. 2021	-5 500	-7 000	-8 700	-1 700	Bearish
17. 12. 2021	-25 100	-12 400	-19 400	-7 000	Bearish

 

Last week, the total net positions of speculators rose by 7,000 contracts. This increase in total net positions over the past week is the result of a 2,300 contract increase in long positions and a 4,700 contract decrease in short positions.

The pound has reached resistance around 1.3550. On the daily chart, the pound is still in a downtrend.

Long-term resistance: 1.3560-1.3600
Long-term support: 1.3350-1.3360

 

Australský dolar

Datum	Týdenní změna open interest	Týdenní změna celkových čistých pozic spekulantů	Týdenní změna long pozic spekulantů	Týdenní změna short pozic spekulantů	Sentiment
3. 1. 2022	-8 200	-1 300	-6 100	-4 800	Bearish
24. 12. 2021	-6 100	-1 500	-6 300	-4 800	Bearish
17. 12. 2021	-14 700	-2 900	-4 100	-7 000	Weakening bearish

 

Last week, the total net positions of speculators fell by 1,300 contracts. This change is due to a decrease in long positions by 6,100 contracts and a decrease in short positions by 4,800 contracts.

In the Australian dollar, the resistance around 0.7180 was broken last week and the price reached the next resistance at 0.7280. Here is the confluence of horizontal resistance with the SMA 100 moving average.

Long-term resistance: 0.7270-0.7280
Long-term support: 0.7080-0.7100

 

Novozélandský dolar

 

Datum	Týdenní změna open interest	Týdenní změna celkových čistých pozic spekulantů	Týdenní změna long pozic spekulantů	Týdenní změna short pozic spekulantů	Sentiment
3. 1. 2022	500	-2 300	200	2 500	Bearish
24. 12. 2021	100	-200	-2 400	-2 200	Bearish
17. 12. 2021	-14 700	-16 600	-18 300	-1 700	Bearish

Last week, total net positions fell by 2,300 contracts. The change in total net positions is the result of an increase in long positions by 200 contracts and a decrease in short positions by 2,500 contracts.

The New Zealand dollar is trading in a range between 0.67 and 0.685.

Long-term resistance: 0.6850-0.6870
Long-term support: 0.6700-0.6710