Speculators Short-Covering Lifts Precious, Base Metals Positions In Latest CFTC Report
By Debbie Carlson Kitco News
Monday December 16, 2013 11:58 AM
(Kitco News) - Speculators covered short positions in their precious and base metals futures and options holdings in the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange and the Nymex, following weeks of building gross short positions, according to government data released late Friday.
The short-covering came as futures prices rose during the timeframe covered by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s weekly commitments of traders’ reports, which is for the week ended Dec. 10.
There were rises in net-long positions and reductions in net-short positions, but market watchers said the gains may be fleeting given how prices for precious metals fell Thursday, after the reporting window closed for the CFTC data. Only copper prices continue to gain last week.
Metals prices rose during the week covered by the report. February Comex gold gained $40.30 an ounce to $1,261.10 as of Dec. 10. March silver rose $1.25 to $20.315. Nymex January platinum rallied $32.90 to $1,388.70. March palladium gained $23.65 to $738.45. Comex December copper rose 9.90 cents to $3.2665 a pound.
The rally gold witnessed on Dec. 9 and 10 came on the back of short covering and just a little new buying, as CFTC data bears out. The net-long gold futures and options position for the managed-money accounts rose slightly from last week’s record low, to 33,449 contracts. Managed-money accounts added 1,356 gross longs and cut 5,319 gross shorts, meaning they established some bullish positions and cut bearish ones, reversing the recent trend. Producers’ net-long position fell as they cut more gross long positions than gross shorts. Swap dealers lifted their net-short position as they cut gross longs and added gross shorts.
In the gold legacy report, the large speculators mirrored the action in the disaggregated report, increasing their net-long position by adding 1,620 gross longs and cutting 6,747 gross shorts. They are now net-long 56,902 contracts. Commercials are net-short, and boosted that position by cutting gross longs and adding gross shorts.
TD Securities said the action in gold likely reflects “stronger price action and renewed market expectations that the Fed (Federal Reserve) will signal a zero-bound policy for a prolonged period to accompany a tapering announcement” during its monetary-policy meeting Wednesday.
If speculators cover more short positions, it would be price-positive for gold, HSBC said. However, while the report shows a build in speculators’ gold net-long holdings was mostly by short covering and a few new longs, analysts said it’s unlikely these modest advances were retained, given that gold sold off after the reporting window closed.
“We suspect that some of the incremental longs got trapped in Thursday’s sell-off,” said Edward Meir, commodities consultant at INTL FCStone.
Managed-money accounts trimmed their net-short silver position in the disaggregated report. They are net short 722 contracts, a sizable drop from the previous week’s position. They added 498 gross longs and cut 4,166 gross shorts. Producers raised their net-short position by adding more gross shorts than longs. Swap dealers reduced their net-long position by cutting gross longs and adding a few gross shorts.
In the legacy report, the silver net-long for non-commercials rose on the back of new long positions and short covering. Funds added 1,469 gross longs and cut 5,285 gross shorts to lift the net-long to 11,046 contracts. Commercials are net-short and built on that position by cutting gross longs and adding gross shorts.
Managed-money accounts in platinum modestly increased their net-long position to 16,272 contracts, having added 894 gross longs and 871 gross shorts, nearly an even split. Non-commercials in platinum also increased their net-long position to 23,655 contracts, having added 533 gross longs and 338 gross shorts.
UBS pointed out that platinum was the only precious metal to see its net-long position rise because of new longs established, rather than by short covering.
In palladium the managed-money accounts cut exposure to the metal, but ultimately lifted their net-long position to 20,700 contracts. They cut 406 gross longs and 448 gross shorts. Similarly in the legacy report, non-commercials cut 57 gross longs and 387 gross shorts, raising their net-long to 22,238 contracts on short covering.
The copper net-short position for the managed-money accounts fell sharply, to 1,223 contracts, as they added 4,236 gross longs and cut 13,857 gross shorts. Funds substantially lowered their net-short position in the legacy report, too, having added 1,308 gross longs and cut 12,977 gross shorts. They are net-short 13,192 contracts.
“Copper investors look to have been squeezed out of massive short positions, as prices spiked higher on supply concerns from of a strike at a major Chilean smelter and continued issues at the Philippines smelter,” TDS said.
By Debbie Carlson Kitco News
Monday December 16, 2013 11:58 AM
(Kitco News) - Speculators covered short positions in their precious and base metals futures and options holdings in the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange and the Nymex, following weeks of building gross short positions, according to government data released late Friday.
The short-covering came as futures prices rose during the timeframe covered by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s weekly commitments of traders’ reports, which is for the week ended Dec. 10.
There were rises in net-long positions and reductions in net-short positions, but market watchers said the gains may be fleeting given how prices for precious metals fell Thursday, after the reporting window closed for the CFTC data. Only copper prices continue to gain last week.
Metals prices rose during the week covered by the report. February Comex gold gained $40.30 an ounce to $1,261.10 as of Dec. 10. March silver rose $1.25 to $20.315. Nymex January platinum rallied $32.90 to $1,388.70. March palladium gained $23.65 to $738.45. Comex December copper rose 9.90 cents to $3.2665 a pound.
The rally gold witnessed on Dec. 9 and 10 came on the back of short covering and just a little new buying, as CFTC data bears out. The net-long gold futures and options position for the managed-money accounts rose slightly from last week’s record low, to 33,449 contracts. Managed-money accounts added 1,356 gross longs and cut 5,319 gross shorts, meaning they established some bullish positions and cut bearish ones, reversing the recent trend. Producers’ net-long position fell as they cut more gross long positions than gross shorts. Swap dealers lifted their net-short position as they cut gross longs and added gross shorts.
In the gold legacy report, the large speculators mirrored the action in the disaggregated report, increasing their net-long position by adding 1,620 gross longs and cutting 6,747 gross shorts. They are now net-long 56,902 contracts. Commercials are net-short, and boosted that position by cutting gross longs and adding gross shorts.
TD Securities said the action in gold likely reflects “stronger price action and renewed market expectations that the Fed (Federal Reserve) will signal a zero-bound policy for a prolonged period to accompany a tapering announcement” during its monetary-policy meeting Wednesday.
If speculators cover more short positions, it would be price-positive for gold, HSBC said. However, while the report shows a build in speculators’ gold net-long holdings was mostly by short covering and a few new longs, analysts said it’s unlikely these modest advances were retained, given that gold sold off after the reporting window closed.
“We suspect that some of the incremental longs got trapped in Thursday’s sell-off,” said Edward Meir, commodities consultant at INTL FCStone.
Managed-money accounts trimmed their net-short silver position in the disaggregated report. They are net short 722 contracts, a sizable drop from the previous week’s position. They added 498 gross longs and cut 4,166 gross shorts. Producers raised their net-short position by adding more gross shorts than longs. Swap dealers reduced their net-long position by cutting gross longs and adding a few gross shorts.
In the legacy report, the silver net-long for non-commercials rose on the back of new long positions and short covering. Funds added 1,469 gross longs and cut 5,285 gross shorts to lift the net-long to 11,046 contracts. Commercials are net-short and built on that position by cutting gross longs and adding gross shorts.
Managed-money accounts in platinum modestly increased their net-long position to 16,272 contracts, having added 894 gross longs and 871 gross shorts, nearly an even split. Non-commercials in platinum also increased their net-long position to 23,655 contracts, having added 533 gross longs and 338 gross shorts.
UBS pointed out that platinum was the only precious metal to see its net-long position rise because of new longs established, rather than by short covering.
In palladium the managed-money accounts cut exposure to the metal, but ultimately lifted their net-long position to 20,700 contracts. They cut 406 gross longs and 448 gross shorts. Similarly in the legacy report, non-commercials cut 57 gross longs and 387 gross shorts, raising their net-long to 22,238 contracts on short covering.
The copper net-short position for the managed-money accounts fell sharply, to 1,223 contracts, as they added 4,236 gross longs and cut 13,857 gross shorts. Funds substantially lowered their net-short position in the legacy report, too, having added 1,308 gross longs and cut 12,977 gross shorts. They are net-short 13,192 contracts.
“Copper investors look to have been squeezed out of massive short positions, as prices spiked higher on supply concerns from of a strike at a major Chilean smelter and continued issues at the Philippines smelter,” TDS said.