NY/ICE cotton steadies as China, India prices climb over past month

The A Index remained broadly unchanged, hovering near 74 cents/lb.

China’s domestic prices strengthened notably, with the Chinese Cotton Index (CC Index 3128B) rising from 96 to 103 cents/lb, or from 15,000 to 15,900 RMB/ton. The gains were supported by a firmer yuan, which appreciated from 7.06 to 6.98 RMB/USD over the period, according to Cotton Incorporated’s Monthly Economic Letter - Cotton Market Fundamentals & Price Outlook - January 2026.

Indian spot prices also advanced, with Shankar-6 quality cotton increasing from 74 to 78 cents/lb, or from ₹52,600 to ₹55,200 candy. The rupee remained broadly steady near ₹90 per USD.

Pakistani spot prices were not published for much of the month due to operational issues at the Karachi Cotton Association. The latest available quotes from early December stood at 15,400 PKR/maund, equivalent to about 67 cents/lb, with the PKR holding near 67 PKR/USD.

ALCHEMPro News Desk (KD)