Energy prices remained under pressure as US- China trade re-escalates. According to the CFTC Commitments of Traders report for the week ended August 13, NET LENGTH for crude oil futures increased +6 503 contracts to 382 144 for the week. Speculative long positions gained +6 116 contracts and shorts dropped -387 contracts. For refined oil products, NET LENGTH for gasoline declined -8 520 contracts to 61 965, while heating oil drifted to NET SHORT of 1 601 contracts for the week. NET SHORT for natural gas futures jumped +12 473 contracts to 212 554 contracts for the week.
NET LENGTH for gold futures dropped -2 455 contracts to 290 090. Speculative long positions declined -4 335 contracts, while shorts drooped -1 880. Silver futures also seen decline in NET LENGTH, by -10 563 contracts to 39 269. Speculative long positions fell -8 514 contracts while shorts rose 2 019. For PGMs, NET LENGTH of Nymex platinum futures decreased -268 contracts to 21 676 while that for palladium slipped -402 contracts to 9 171.
