Understanding COT Data

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Victor Kaiuki edited this page Jun 16, 2026 · 1 revision

Understanding COT Data

The Commitments of Traders (COT) report is published by the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). It provides a breakdown of each Tuesday’s open interest for markets in which 20 or more traders hold positions equal to or above the reporting levels established by the CFTC. The report is released every Friday at 3:30 PM ET.

Report Classifications

Legacy

Datasets: 6dca-aqww (futures), jun7-fc8e (combined)
Categories: Non-Commercial (speculators), Commercial (hedgers), Non-Reportable
Depth: Data since 1986
Best for: Historical analysis and broad market overview.

Disaggregated

Datasets: 72hh-3qpy (futures), kh3c-gbw2 (combined)
Categories: Producer/Merchant/Processor/User, Swap Dealers, Managed Money, Other Reportables
Depth: Data since 2006
Best for: Deep-dive into physical commodity market drivers.

TFF (Traders in Financial Futures)

Datasets: gpe5-46if (futures), yw9f-hn96 (combined)
Categories: Dealer/Intermediary, Asset Manager/Institutional, Leveraged Funds, Other Reportables
Depth: Data since 2006
Best for: Financial instrument analysis (Forex, Bonds, Equity Indices).

Key Concepts

Combined vs Futures-Only: "Combined" includes options data.
Open Interest: Total number of outstanding contracts.
Net Position: Long positions minus short positions.