LiveSource · CFTC Commitments of Traders
← All recaps

Report week of Aug 4, 2026

COT report recap — week of Aug 4, 2026

The CFTC published its Commitments of Traders report for Aug 4, 2026. Across the 35 futures markets tracked here, the headline is where money actually moved this week and which groups are sitting at a three-year positioning extreme. 1 market show a bearish divergence and 2 a bullish one; 15 show price and positioning moving together. Everything below is drawn straight from the CFTC's own weekly release, measured as of Tuesday's close.

Divergences by sector

Equity indices2/6 diverging
Rates0/5 diverging
Currencies0/8 diverging
Metals0/4 diverging
Energy1/3 diverging
Ags & softs0/7 diverging
Crypto0/2 diverging

Biggest weekly position changes

The largest week-on-week swings in net contracts. Big single-week shifts usually follow a macro event, an expiry, or a break of a well-watched level — they are the clearest sign of where large traders actually changed their mind.

MarketGroupNetWeekly ΔCOT idx (3y)Signal
2-Year TreasuryLeveraged funds-1,334,181+230,11396No signal
5-Year TreasuryLeveraged funds-2,211,439-102,80167No signal
10-Year TreasuryLeveraged funds-2,231,670-75,93121No signal
Japanese YenLeveraged funds-60,825+41,16535Convergence — healthy uptrend
S&P 500Leveraged funds-329,999-32,52357Convergence — healthy uptrend
Sugar #11Managed money-87,188+29,23634Convergence — healthy uptrend
SoybeansManaged money132,524-27,95576Convergence — healthy uptrend
Natural GasManaged money-126,933-21,10713No signal
Nasdaq 100 / QQQLeveraged funds-78,333-20,0350No signal
Ultra 10-YearLeveraged funds-419,861-19,65112No signal

Positioning at a 3-year extreme (COT index above 90 or below 10)

A COT index above 90 means this group is about as long as it has been in three years; below 10 means about as short. Extremes mark crowded trades — they say who is already committed, not when the market turns.

MarketGroupNetWeekly ΔCOT idx (3y)Signal
Nasdaq 100 / QQQLeveraged funds-78,333-20,0350No signal
CopperManaged money75,758+10,750100Convergence — healthy uptrend
Canadian DollarLeveraged funds-101,748+7471No signal
2-Year TreasuryLeveraged funds-1,334,181+230,11396No signal
VIXLeveraged funds3,773+16,06294Bullish divergence

Bearish divergences — price up, big money stepping back

Price has been climbing while the trend-following crowd trimmed or reversed their net long. That gap is a warning, not a sell trigger: it says the rally is running with less institutional backing than it looks.

MarketGroupNetWeekly ΔCOT idx (3y)Signal
Russell 2000Leveraged funds-85,145-10,52524Bearish divergence

Bullish divergences — price down, big money building

Price has been falling while large speculators added to their net long. Historically this is where washed-out moves have found a floor, though it can persist for weeks before price turns.

MarketGroupNetWeekly ΔCOT idx (3y)Signal
VIXLeveraged funds3,773+16,06294Bullish divergence
RBOB GasolineManaged money69,885-3,99269Bullish divergence

New to the COT report?

The guide explains who the trader groups are, what net position means, and how the COT index and disagreement index are calculated.

Read the guide →

Weekly COT recap

One email a week, free: the biggest week-over-week position shifts, every market sitting at a 3-year positioning extreme, and the divergences worth a second look — sent Fridays after the CFTC release. Unsubscribe in one click.

Positioning is measured as of Tuesday and released Friday, so it always lags price. Nothing here is investment advice.