CFTC Commitment of Traders positioning — see where institutions are positioned
🏦 COT data shows ACTUAL institutional positions reported to the CFTC every Tuesday, released Friday. Asset Managers = directional signal. Leveraged Funds = speculative signal. Dealers = hedging (often contrarian to price).
Asset Managers
NET LONG
Net: 85,000 contracts
Longs:180,000
Shorts:95,000
Weekly Change:+12,000
Leveraged Funds
NET SHORT
Net: -25,000 contracts
Longs:120,000
Shorts:145,000
Weekly Change:-8,000
Dealers (Market Makers)
NET SHORT
Net: -45,000 contracts
Longs:85,000
Shorts:130,000
Weekly Change:-5,000
💡 How to Read COT Data
• Asset Managers = Real money (pension funds, insurance). Their positioning = long-term directional bias.
• Leveraged Funds = Hedge funds & CTAs. More speculative, can flip quickly.
• Dealers = Banks/market makers. Usually OPPOSITE to price (they provide liquidity).
• Extreme positioning = Potential reversal. When everyone is on one side, who's left to push further?
• Weekly change = Most important signal. Are institutions ADDING or REDUCING positions?