Latest news with #Cotton
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Famous Last Words? Cotton Not Doing Much
Cotton grass by Christiane via Pixabay Cotton prices are trading on both sides of unchanged as we roll into midday on Tuesday, with thinly traded October down 14 points and other contracts 3 points either side of UNCH. Futures had closed out the Monday session with losses of 52 to 58 points. Crude oil futures are down a sharp 99 cents per barrel. The US dollar index is weaker, as the heavily weighted euro extends the rally it began on Friday. Weekly USDA Crop Progress data indicated 75% of the US cotton crop was squaring as of July 20, with 33% setting bolls, matching the average maturity pace. Condition ratings across the Belt improved 3% to 57% gd/ex, with the Brugler500 index up 8 points to 347. More News from Barchart The weather forecasts for the next week feature dryness for much of Texas, with some of the Southeast forecast to receive 1 to 2 inches, with amounts rising towards the Gulf. The Seam showed sales of 58 bales on Friday, with an average price of 68.35 cents/lb. The world focused Cotlook A Index was down 5 cents at $79.45 on July 21. ICE cotton stocks were steady on 7/18, with the certified stocks level at 22,337 bales. USDA's Adjusted World Price (AWP) was up a tick on Thursday at 54.72 cents/lb. It is in effect through this coming Thursday. Oct 25 Cotton is at 66.66, up 12 points, Dec 25 Cotton is at 68.4, up 30 points, Mar 26 Cotton is at 69.73, up 27 points On the date of publication, Austin Schroeder did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. This article was originally published on
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Cotton Slipping Back on Monday Morning
Cotton price action is easing lower on Monday, with contracts down 10 to 20 points. Futures rounded out the week with losses of 10 to 13 points on Friday. December was still up 126 points on the week. Crude oil futures were back down 21 cents per barrel, with the US dollar index down $0.236 to $98.210. Weekly CFTC data showed a total of 7,626 contracts cut from the net short position among spec traders in cotton futures and options. The collective group was net short 38,464 contracts as of July 15. More News from Barchart What is Watson Watching in the Grains Sector this Week? Get exclusive insights with the FREE Barchart Brief newsletter. Subscribe now for quick, incisive midday market analysis you won't find anywhere else. The next week is looking at dryness for much of Texas, with some of the Southeast forecast to receive 1 to 2 inches, with amounts rising towards the Gulf. The Seam showed sales of 385 bales on Thursday, with an average price of 68.25 cents/lb. The Cotlook A Index was unch at 79.30 on July 17. ICE cotton stocks saw 1,144 decertifications on 7/17, with the certified stocks level at 23,481 bales. USDA's Adjusted World Price (AWP) was up a tick on Thursday at 54.72 cents/lb. Oct 25 Cotton closed at 67.12, down 13 points, currently unch Dec 25 Cotton closed at 68.68, down 12 points, currently down 10 points Mar 26 Cotton closed at 69.98, down 10 points, currently down 10 points On the date of publication, Austin Schroeder did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. This article was originally published on
Chicago Tribune
2 days ago
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Valparaiso councilman files complaint over access to housing study
Valparaiso Councilman Peter Anderson has filed a formal complaint with the Indiana Public Access Counselor's office over access to a city housing study. 'That study basically prescribes 2,000 affordable housing units in the next five years in Valparaiso,' said Anderson, R-5th. He wants to know why all council members didn't receive copies at the same time. Anderson didn't see it until three council members met in private with stakeholders, he said. When Anderson's council committee gets information from groups seeking grants from the opioid lawsuit settlement proceeds, that information is immediately shared with all council members so they can review the raw information before receiving the committee's recommendations, he said. 'While the three-member group may not constitute a quorum under the technical definition of a meeting, the spirit and intent of the Open Door Law appear to have been violated,' he said in his complaint. 'I just felt I was unable to do my job on this particular issue,' and not by his own doing, he said. Councilman Robert Cotton, D-2nd, who convened a May 29 housing symposium at City Hall to discuss that report and its implications, said Anderson was mistaken in believing the three council members were acting on official business. It wasn't a secret council committee; council President Ellen Kapitan, D-At-large, didn't establish the committee and appoint the members, he said. Rather, it's an ad-hoc group of people interested in addressing the housing situation in Valparaiso. The likely outcome will be the establishment of a nonprofit to effect change, not a city effort to own and transfer land, Cotton said. Resident Chris Pupillo put in an Access to Public Records Act request for information about the group led by Cotton. City Attorney Patrick Lyp responded that the request was denied because there weren't any documents to show; it wasn't official city business. The study wasn't done in secret, Cotton said. Mayor Jon Costas and the Board of Works contracted with Zimmerman Volk & Associates, a nationally recognized firm specializing in housing market analysis, to conduct the study and participate in further consulting services, including public outreach. Cotton said the results were initially reviewed by an informal steering committee with about 19 members representing housing advocates, nonprofits, the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission, three council members, Costas and Paradise Homes, an affiliated nonprofit organization. 'It is important to clarify that Valparaiso does not have a formal housing policy, nor is the city in the business of building homes,' Cotton said. 'Rather, our objective is to stimulate the market – to spark private and nonprofit activity in segments where housing production has stalled.' The May 29 symposium, which Anderson attended, examined not only the study's highlights but also ways to address them. 'By identifying where potential exists and forging partnerships with mission-driven organizations, we believe we can lay the groundwork for a sustainable, community-based housing delivery system,' Cotton said. The missing segment in the housing industry is new housing 'in the income range that has been largely abandoned by the private market, 60% to 120% of area median income,' he said.
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First Post
2 days ago
- Business
- First Post
Microsoft bars China-based engineers from Pentagon support after US scrutiny
Microsoft, a key contractor for the US government, has previously experienced high-profile breaches by Chinese and Russian hackers. It said that it had disclosed its arrangements with China-based personnel to the government read more Microsoft said it will no longer allow engineers based in China to provide technical assistance for US military cloud computing systems, following a report that raised concerns over potential cybersecurity threats and prompted a high-level review by the Pentagon. The move comes after investigative outlet ProPublica published a report detailing how Chinese engineers had been involved in supporting the Pentagon's cloud infrastructure, under the supervision of American 'digital escorts'. These escorts, employed via subcontractors and holding security clearances, were reportedly often not equipped with the technical expertise to detect cybersecurity risks posed by the Chinese engineers' work. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Microsoft, a key contractor for the US government, has previously experienced high-profile breaches by Chinese and Russian hackers. It told ProPublica that it had disclosed its arrangements with China-based personnel during the government's authorisation process. Microsoft spokesperson Frank Shaw said on the social media platform X that the company had modified its procedures 'in response to concerns raised earlier this week … to assure that no China-based engineering teams are providing technical assistance' for services supporting the Pentagon. Review launched, senator raises alarm Earlier on Friday, Senator Tom Cotton, a Republican from Arkansas and chair of the Senate intelligence committee, sent a letter to Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth demanding clarification on Microsoft's reported practices. Cotton, who also serves on the armed services committee, requested a list of contractors using Chinese personnel and more detail on how digital escorts are trained to identify suspicious activities. 'The US government recognises that China's cyber capabilities pose one of the most aggressive and dangerous threats to the United States, as evidenced by infiltration of our critical infrastructure, telecommunications networks, and supply chains,' Cotton wrote. He added that the military 'must guard against all potential threats within its supply chain, including those from subcontractors'. In a video statement posted on X, Hegseth said he had ordered a two-week review to ensure that no China-based engineers were involved in other Department of Defence cloud contracts. 'I'm announcing that China will no longer have any involvement whatsoever in our cloud services, effective immediately,' Hegseth said. 'We will continue to monitor and counter all threats to our military infrastructure and online networks.'
The Star
4 days ago
- Business
- The Star
Microsoft to stop using engineers in China for tech support of US military, Hegseth orders review
Microsoft on July 18, 2025 said it will stop using China-based engineers to provide technical assistance to the US military. - Photo: Reuters SAN FRANCISCO: Microsoft on Friday (July 18) said it will stop using China-based engineers to provide technical assistance to the US military after a report in investigative journalism outlet ProPublica sparked questions from a US senator and prompted Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth to order a two-week review of Pentagon cloud deals. The report detailed Microsoft's use of Chinese engineers to work on US military cloud computing systems under the supervision of US "digital escorts" hired through subcontractors who have security clearances but often lacked the technical skills to assess whether the work of the Chinese engineers posed a cybersecurity threat. Microsoft, a major contractor to the US government, has had its systems breached by Chinese and Russian hackers. It told ProPublica it disclosed its practices to the US government during an authorisation process. On Friday, Microsoft spokesperson Frank Shaw said on social media website X the company changed how it supports US government customers "in response to concerns raised earlier this week ... to assure that no China-based engineering teams are providing technical assistance" for services used by the Pentagon. Earlier on Friday, Senator Tom Cotton, an Arkansas Republican who chairs the chamber's intelligence committee and also serves on its armed services committee, sent a letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth about Microsoft's reported practices. Cotton asked the US military for a list of contractors that use Chinese personnel and more information on how US "digital escorts" are trained to detect suspicious activity. "The US government recognises that China's cyber capabilities pose one of the most aggressive and dangerous threats to the United States, as evidenced by infiltration of our critical infrastructure, telecommunications networks, and supply chains," Cotton wrote in the letter. The US military "must guard against all potential threats within its supply chain, including those from subcontractors," he wrote. In a video posted on X on Friday, Hegseth said he was initiating a two-week review to ensure China-based engineers were not working on any other cloud services contracts across the Defence Department. "I'm announcing that China will no longer have any involvement whatsoever in our cloud services, effective immediately," Hegseth said in the video. "We will continue to monitor and counter all threats to our military infrastructure and online networks." - Reuters
