One of the basic crops, cotton makes a key input in the world’s food, agriculture and textile industries. 64% goes to apparel, 28% is used for furnishings, and 8% accounts for industrial products. Only in the US cotton stimulates $120 billion of business revenue. In general, China is the biggest consumer and producer of cotton, serving 43% of the world’s consumption and 29% of the world’s production. Increasing demand for cotton on the emerging markets is the key driver for cotton prices. Traded on the New York Board of Trade, Cotton No. 2 has the ticker symbol CT.
Bank of England (BoE) cut rates for the first time in August 2024, with further easing expected in the coming months. But how low are rates likely to go?