DTN Closing Cotton            04/20 13:35

   Cotton Settles Above the 80-Cent Mark Again

   New-crop cotton traded both sides of Friday's 80.50 cent close to settle 
slightly above the 80-cent mark for a second time.

Keith Brown
DTN Contributing Cotton Analyst

   New-crop cotton traded both sides of Friday's 80.50 cent close to settle 
slightly above the 80-cent mark for a second time. In fact, even old-crop July 
broke the 80-cent barrier today. Nonetheless, traders will continue to monitor 
current U.S. growing conditions, and of course the Middle East conflict for 
further price influences.

   Last Friday, the Climate Prediction Center reported that 97% of the current 
U.S. cotton area is suffering from various degrees of drought. With that the 6- 
to 10-day (April 25-29) forecast maps show above-average chances of rain for 
Texas, the Delta and the Southeast. Temperature-wise, the Delta and the 
Southeast will have above-normal temperatures, while Texas will see much below 
readings.

   Today at 4 p.m. EDT, USDA will issue its weekly Crop Progress report. At 
last count the 2026 crop was some 7% planted versus its five-year average of 7% 
complete.

   First notice day for the May contract is April 24. Its delivery period runs 
through May 6.

   For Monday, July closed at 80.04 cents, up 22 points; December 2026 closed 
at 80.76 cents, plus 26 points; and March 2027 finished at 81.54 cents, up 35 
points lower. Monday's estimated volume was 60,691 contracts.

   Keith Brown can be reached at commodityconsults@gmail.com




(c) Copyright 2026 DTN, LLC. All rights reserved.