Cotton futures traded higher for a fourth consecutive session on Thursday amid recovering export sales. 

December cotton traded 0.20 cents higher by midday, nearly 67 cents a pound. Prices traded at the level for the first time in over a week. 

Futures have so far avoided a strong move below the major support of 66 cents.

U.S. cotton export sales for the 2025/26 marketing year fell to 130,000 bales last week, compared to 245,000 bales the previous week. Net sales were above year-ago levels but well below the five-year average. 

China showed up on the sales sheet this week, purchasing 17,600 bales of the total. Last week, they bought a fair amount of cotton relative to previous weeks. Total commitments remain well below the five-year average. 

With over 90 percent of Brazil’s cotton harvest complete, Conab raised its 2024/25 production estimate to 4.1 million metric tons (MMT), up from the previous estimate of 3.9 MMT. That is expected to represent a nearly 10 percent increase from last season’s record. 

Conab said weather conditions have been favorable this season and supported higher planted acres. 

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PAST PERFORMANCE IS NOT INDICATIVE OF FUTURE RESULTS. FUTURES TRADING INVOLVES SUBSTANTIAL RISK AND IS NOT SUITABLE FOR ALL INVESTORS.