By Keith Brown, DTN Contributing Cotton Analyst 

The cotton market ended its Friday session fractionally higher as USDA issued a benign supply and demand report. In its monthly release, the agency only lowered the 2020 crop a mere 10,000 bales to 17.05 million, while idling exports and ending stocks. Last month, the tabulators had lowered the crop a million bales to 17.06 million, but since that time both the Delta and the Southeast endured Hurricane Sally, plus other weather adversities. To that end, the average industry guess was 16.75 million bales. Thus, the domestic numbers versus expectations were disappointing. There was, however, positive promise in the world numbers. In that data, USDA increased Chinese and Indian consumption, which resulted in global stocks falling some 2.75 million bales to 101.13 million. Still, the market remained wobbly into the close.

In other news, Hurricane Delta is expected to make landfall on the Louisiana coast. Delta’s winds and rain will detrimentally impact interior crops. Its remnants are expected to bring heavy rains to Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee.

On Monday, the Market will assess what damage Hurricane Delta might have done to the crop. Also, Monday is Columbus Day, thus weekly reports will be delayed a day. So, on Tuesday afternoon, USDA will issue another crop harvest report at 4 p.m. Last week’s numbers had the crop 83% bolls open and 17% harvested. Then, on Friday, another round of export sales will be issued. It is hoped that, with China beyond its Golden Week celebrations, it will be a more vibrant participant.

December cotton closed 1.82 cents higher for the week and up 1.85 cents for the month and only 2.72 cents lower on the year.

For Friday, December cotton closed at 67.64 cents, up 0.15 cent, March closed at 68.42 cents, up 0.16 cent and December 2021 cotton finished at 67.53 cents, 0.36 cent higher; estimated volume was 33,172 contracts.