Cotton Declines on Thursday

Cotton Market Update: Prices Decline, Export Sales Rise

Front-month cotton futures experienced a decline, dropping between 45 and 50 points. Meanwhile, crude oil prices also fell by $2.02 per barrel, settling at $63.12. The U.S. dollar index strengthened, increasing by $0.371 to reach 97.860.

Export Sales and Shipments Overview

During the week ending January 29, export sales of cotton totaled 249,836 running bales (RB), marking a 22.67% increase from the previous week. However, this figure remains 10.78% lower than the same period last year. Vietnam led purchases with 54,000 RB, followed by Pakistan at 48,100 RB and China at 36,600 RB. Shipments for the week reached 235,313 RB, representing an 8.45% decrease from the prior week but a significant 53.29% rise compared to the same week in 2025. Of the shipments, 84,300 RB were sent to Vietnam and 29,100 RB to Pakistan.

Additional Market Highlights

Spotlight on Cotton Auctions and Prices

The Seam’s online auction on Wednesday reported sales at 57.91 cents per pound for 5,856 bales. On February 4, the Cotlook A Index slipped another 20 points to 73.15 cents. ICE certified cotton stocks increased by 11,138 bales on February 4, bringing the total to 47,653 bales. The Adjusted World Price was revised downward by 42 points to 49.78 cents per pound on Thursday.

Recent Cotton Futures Settlements

• March 2026 Cotton closed at 61.76, down 48 points
• May 2026 Cotton settled at 63.50, down 49 points
• July 2026 Cotton ended at 65.26, down 46 points