Commitments of Traders
When is the COT report released?
The COT report is normally released Friday at 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time and reflects positions from the previous Tuesday. Holiday weeks can follow a different schedule.
The weekly reporting cycle
The Commitments of Traders reports follow a weekly cycle. The normal snapshot is taken at Tuesday’s close. Reporting firms submit their position data on Wednesday morning. The CFTC then reviews the submissions before Friday’s publication. The official COT overview explains this process.
Why the lag exists
Futures commission merchants, clearing members, foreign brokers and exchanges submit the underlying position data. The CFTC reviews the submissions and prepares the aggregated report for publication. Any service built on the official release shares the same Tuesday-to-Friday lag.
Holiday weeks
Federal holidays may delay publication by one or two days. There is no single next-business-day rule that covers every holiday week. The CFTC publishes adjusted dates in its official release schedule. Each release also states its as-of date, making the covered position period clear.
Does the delay matter?
The market can move between Tuesday’s snapshot and Friday’s release. That makes COT data better suited to swing and position analysis than intraday timing. Over several weeks or months, the consistent reporting cycle makes changes in positioning easier to compare.
Following a new release
The CFTC posts the official files at the scheduled release time. COT Screener’s public market pages check for the new report and process the public data. Follow the latest readings for Gold, WTI Crude Oil or Euro FX. COT Screener then calculates the corresponding COT Index readings from those data.
Common questions
What time is the COT report released?
Under the normal schedule, the CFTC releases the reports on Friday at 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time. Federal holidays can delay publication by one or two days.
What date do the positions in the report refer to?
The reports usually show positions open at the close of business on the preceding Tuesday. Trading after that cutoff is not included in Friday's snapshot. A later report reflects the positions open on its own as-of date.
Why is there a gap between the snapshot and release?
Reporting firms submit Tuesday's positions on Wednesday morning. The CFTC then reviews and verifies the submissions before publishing the aggregated report on Friday.
Where can I see the report when it is released?
The CFTC publishes the official files on its website. A free account gives you access to the positioning board, which checks for each new release and usually updates within minutes after the data is available. No credit card is required.
