Cotton Ends Friday with Strength

Group 1: Cotton Futures Market Overview - Cotton futures experienced gains, with contracts mostly steady to 12 points higher, specifically December futures up 11 points this week [1] - The US dollar index decreased by $0.370 to $97.845, while crude oil futures increased by 22 cents [1] - Managed money in cotton futures and options increased their bearish positions by 2,943 contracts as of September 23rd, resulting in a net short of 62,004 contracts [1] Group 2: Export Sales and Auction Data - Export Sales data indicated a total of 4.059 million RB of cotton sold by September 18, reflecting an 18% decrease from the previous year, which is 37% of the USDA export target and below the 53% average pace [2] - An online auction from The Seam recorded 1,561 sales at an average price of 59.3 cents per pound [3] - The Cotlook A Index fell by 45 points to 77.70 cents on September 25, while ICE cotton stocks remained steady with certified stocks at 15,474 bales [3] Group 3: Price Movements - Cotton prices for October 25 closed at 63.95 cents, up 12 points; December 25 closed at 66.4 cents, also up 12 points; and March 26 closed at 68.26 cents, up 7 points [3] - USDA's Adjusted World Price (AWP) decreased by 41 points this week to 54.38 cents per pound [3]