CFTC’s Commitment of Trader’s Report: Format from the 60’s

Each week thousands of commodities traders and analysts receive the Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s Commitment of Trader’s Report. This statistical compilation of trader’s positions has been available publicly for decades, but the method of analyzing this data is convoluted at best. In fact, as the comparison below shows, reading the publicly released version versus the version we provide is enormously different. At Libanman Futures we’ve created a substantially better method for analyzing the COT report and our clients are benefiting from this method. In fact, not only do we make the report substantially more legible but we include a review of twenty weeks of data in one chart. The change in the presentation of the Commitment of Trader’s Report makes the report essential data for anyone trading and analyzing Futures contracts. The COT report is useful because it Analyzes Futures and Options’ Combined Adjusted Net Deltas for the following Trade Groups: 1) Commercials, 2) Swap Dealers, 3) Managed Funds, 4) Large Speculators and 5) Small Speculators.

The Charts below show the most recent Crude Oil Commitment of Trader’s Report in the chart version and the typical CFTC release. The chart gives traders the opportunity to evaluate 20 weeks of data and see how positions have changed over time. It provides the ability to evaluate the net positions of the various trading groups in one simple form.

If you are interested in receiving the full Commitment of Trader’s Report, with 29 futures contracts, please email us at info@libanman.com. Provide your name and phone number and we’ll add you to our list of weekly recipients. The COT Report is a highly informative tool for traders interested in gaining a larger picture of market participants. At Libanman, it is one of the tools we use to help clients initiate positions in Futures and Options contracts. Our Nightly Futures and Options Report is additional material we provide that can be particularly helpful. We would welcome the opportunity to share some of our insight into establishing positions in both Futures and Options with you. Please call us at 212-383-9453.