CFTC Resumes Publishing COT Reports After Shutdown Hiatus: Full Catch-Up Schedule Released

2025-11-19 · Regulation · QuoteReporter

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) is set to reignite a vital pulse of market transparency on Wednesday, resuming publication of its flagship Commitments of Traders (COT) reports after a nearly two-month blackout caused by a federal government shutdown. The reports, which dissect trader positioning across futures and options markets, will drop at 3:30 p.m. ET, kicking off with the long-overdue data from September 30, 2025.

In a press release issued Monday, the CFTC unveiled a “catch-up” blueprint to systematically clear the backlog, promising full restoration of the weekly rhythm by January 23, 2026. This follows a playbook refined from prior funding lapses, ensuring that hedgers, speculators, and analysts regain their weekly window into bullish and bearish bets—from crude oil contracts to soybean futures—without prolonged disruption.

### The Shutdown’s Shadow: Why COT Data Went Dark

The lapse in appropriations, stretching back to early October, sidelined non-essential CFTC operations, including the compilation and release of COT reports. These documents, required under the Commodity Exchange Act, categorize open interest by trader type: commercials (hedgers like producers and consumers), non-commercials (large speculators such as hedge funds), and non-reportables (smaller players). Released every Friday based on Tuesday’s data, they serve as a contrarian barometer—extreme net longs in commodities often foreshadow pullbacks, while surging short interest can signal supply gluts.

The October 3 release was the first casualty, followed by a cascade of misses that left traders navigating blind amid volatile swings: natural gas spiked on winter demand fears, gold rallied as a haven amid election uncertainty, and ag markets jittered on harvest yields. Private alternatives and historical trends filled some gaps, but as one futures desk strategist noted, “COT is the market’s mood ring—without it, you’re guessing on sentiment in a $20 trillion arena.”

### The Road to Recovery: Accelerated Releases and a Clear Timeline

To bridge the void, the CFTC will publish reports in strict chronological order, ramping up frequency from the usual weekly cadence to multiple drops per week initially. The backlog—spanning from late September through mid-November—will be tackled methodically, with normal Friday publications resuming after the January 20, 2026 report.

The schedule, detailed below, marks the first catch-up with a “+” and the return to normalcy with “++”. Users are advised to monitor CFTC.gov for any tweaks, as the agency commits to transparency during the unwind.

#### CFTC Commitments of Traders (COT) Publication Catch-Up Schedule

| COT Report Date | Original Publish Date | New Publish Date |
|—————–|———————–|——————|
| 09/30/2025 | 10/03/2025 | 11/19/2025 + |
| 10/07/2025 | 10/10/2025 | 11/21/2025 |
| 10/14/2025 | 10/17/2025 | 11/25/2025 |
| 10/21/2025 | 10/24/2025 | 12/02/2025 |
| 10/28/2025 | 10/31/2025 | 12/05/2025 |
| 11/04/2025 | 11/07/2025 | 12/09/2025 |
| 11/10/2025 | 11/14/2025 | 12/12/2025 |
| 11/18/2025 | 11/21/2025 | 12/16/2025 |
| 11/25/2025 | 12/01/2025 | 12/19/2025 |
| 12/02/2025 | 12/05/2025 | 12/23/2025 |
| 12/09/2025 | 12/12/2025 | 12/30/2025 |
| 12/16/2025 | 12/19/2025 | 01/06/2026 |
| 12/23/2025 | 12/29/2025 | 01/09/2026 |
| 12/30/2025 | 01/05/2026 | 01/13/2026 |
| 01/06/2026 | 01/09/2026 | 01/16/2026 |
| 01/13/2026 | 01/16/2026 | 01/20/2026 |
| 01/20/2026 ++ | 01/23/2026 | 01/23/2026 |

*+ First catch-up publication on Wednesday*
*++ COT publication returns to normal schedule*

### Market Implications: A Boon for Hedgers and Speculators Alike

COT data isn’t just regulatory boilerplate—it’s a cornerstone for risk management in derivatives markets. Commodity trading advisors (CTAs) and macro funds pore over shifts in net positions to time entries and exits; energy majors use it to calibrate hedging strategies. The hiatus amplified noise in an already turbulent year, with U.S. tariffs rattling global supply chains and inflation whispers pressuring the Fed.

Wednesday’s drop—covering the week ended September 30—will offer a retroactive lens on early autumn positioning, potentially validating or debunking narratives around overbought energy bets or under-hedged grains. As the backlog clears, expect a flurry of analyst notes recalibrating forecasts, especially with December’s policy deadlines looming.

For the CFTC, this resumption reaffirms its mandate under Chair Rostin Behnam: Foster transparent, resilient markets even amid fiscal drama. In Washington, it’s a quiet win—proof that essential data flows can outpace partisan gridlock.

The full CFTC press release, including the schedule, is available here:
https://www.cftc.gov/PressRoom/PressReleases/9138-25

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