Cotton Futures Slide as Market Weakness Weighs on Prices

Cotton futures declined on Wednesday as traders reacted to weakening market sentiment, with March 2026 contracts closing at 64.3 cents per pound, down 4 points. May and July 2026 contracts closed at 65.92 and 67.4 cents respectively, also lower by 4 and 3 points. The Cotlook A Index remained steady at 74.80 cents per pound. Crude oil rose 31 cents to $60.67 per barrel, while the U.S. dollar index advanced to 98.585. The Adjusted World Price increased to 51.17 cents per pound, up 20 points from the previous week. ICE certified cotton stocks decreased to 10,422 bales following decertification of 607 bales on January 20. The Tuesday online auction reported sales at 61.10 cents per pound on 25,238 bales.