Hedge funds are currently holding the highest number of short positions in US corn futures on record, driven by expectations of increased supply and weak demand affecting prices, according to a report by Bloomberg.
The report cites data from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission as showing that hedge funds and other money managers have increased their short-only holdings in Chicago corn futures and options to 507,901 contracts, surpassing the previous record of 506,000 contracts set in 2019.
The net position is bearish by some 353,983 contracts, according to the CFTC data, the highest level seen since records began in 2006, suggesting that hedge funds are positioning themselves to potentially benefit from continued weakness in the market amid abundant supplies and tepid demand.