ICE cotton futures remained bearish as farmer selling and algorithmic activity dampened market sentiment. The overall commodities market was weak yesterday, although a falling US dollar and rising crude oil prices helped limit the decline in US cotton.

The more active March 2026 cotton futures settled at 64.46 cents per pound, down 0.11 cents, reflecting continued price stagnation. Other contracts closed with declines between 4 and 11 points. The 64-cent low attracted some fundamental buying interest, but farmer selling and algorithmic trades capped any move toward 65 cents.

ICE cotton futures remained weak as farmer selling and algorithmic activity limited any upward move despite support from a softer US dollar and firmer crude oil.
March 2026 settled at 64.46 cents amid low trading volumes and stagnant prices.
Weak US economic data boosted expectations of rate cuts.
JP Morgan sees prices potentially rising to 75 cents by late next year.

The US Dollar Index fell 0.45 per cent to 98.85, touching an intraday low of 98.82, its lowest level since October 29. The weaker dollar made US cotton cheaper for global buyers and supported overall demand.

Rising crude oil prices increased polyester costs, indirectly supporting cotton prices as polyester became less competitive.

Total trading volume was 26,902 contracts, one of the lowest levels in more than two months.

Overall commodities were weaker, while US equity markets moved towards all-time highs. Market sentiment was driven by expectations of a possible December interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve. US ADP data showed private-sector employment fell by 32,000 in November compared to expectations of a 10,000-job increase. Weaker-than-expected economic data strengthened expectations of further monetary easing.

CFTC data showed speculators reduced net short positions by 2,480 contracts, taking their total net short position to 84,607 contracts for the week ending October 21.

JP Morgan projected that ICE cotton futures could rise toward 75 cents per pound by the fourth quarter of next year, while ICE-certified stock remained stable at 19,894 bales as of December 2.

This morning (Indian Standard Time), ICE cotton for March 2026 traded at 64.44 cents per pound (down 0.02 cent), cash cotton at 62.46 cents (down 0.11 cent), the December 2025 contract at 62.66 cents (down 0.11 cent), the May 2026 contract at 65.57 cents (down 0.03 cent), the July 2026 contract at 66.54 cents (down 0.06 cent), and the October 2026 contract at 67.40 cents (down 0.08 cent). A few contracts were unchanged from the previous close, with no trading recorded so far today.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (KUL)

PUMA has opened the doors to its largest-ever European flagship store on Oxford Street in London, which will bring the best of the company’s products and immersive storytelling closer to consumers in one of the busiest shopping destinations in Europe.

The new flagship store, located just seconds from Selfridges and Bond Street Tube Station, spans 24,000 square-feet and features PUMA’s industry-leading innovations, such as running technology NITRO, its football boots FUTURE, ULTRA and KING, as well as its current range of lifestyle products.

Puma has opened its largest European flagship on London’s Oxford Street, a 24,000-sq-ft space showcasing NITRO running tech, key football franchises and lifestyle ranges.
The store features customisation zones, digital experiences, archive displays and a London-exclusive collection, with major events planned through 2025–26 as Puma boosts its direct-to-consumer focus.

“The opening of our Oxford Street flagship is an exciting moment for PUMA,” said Arthur Hoeld, CEO at PUMA. “It’s our first Flagship store in Europe, which gives us the chance to connect with more people than ever before — right in the heart of one of the world’s most iconic shopping destinations. It is a powerful platform to engage directly with consumers, showcase our latest performance innovations, and strengthen our brand presence in one of the world’s most influential retail destinations. This space not only highlights our product excellence, but also celebrates our heritage and long-standing connection with elite athletes.”

Consumers can take advantage of multiple customisation areas to create unique products, immerse themselves into PUMA’s performance technology NITRO through a digital running video-wall that reacts to every touch, or learn more about the brand’s rich history in the archive area that features iconic pieces from the past 77 years of the brand.

“London is one of the most competitive retail markets in the world, and Oxford Street is its main stage,” Lucynda Davies, Managing Director UK & Ireland at PUMA, added. “This flagship shows our confidence in the UK and reflects our commitment to delivering fresh, creative experiences that feel authentic to PUMA.”

To mark the opening, PUMA introduced a London Exclusive collection designed by Heiko Desens, PUMA’s Vice President Creative Direction & Innovation. Inspired by the city’s community spirit and creative energy, the collection reimagines British icons such as the Union Flag and Harris Tweed through PUMA’s modern lens. The limited-edition pieces are available exclusively at the London Flagship.

Now open to the public, the London Flagship will have a dynamic program of events and activations for the rest of 2025 and into 2026, hosting exclusive collaborations and athlete appearances to evolving in-store experiences, ensuring the flagship remains a vibrant destination long after launch.

As part of the store’s activation plans, PUMA will hold a dedicated launch event on December 4, celebrating its official debut. In the months ahead, the London Flagship will also serve as the stage for major brand moments, including a pre-race HYROX experience for HYROX London athletes on the December 3, and a special motorsport event on December 11, which will highlight PUMA’s racing heritage and the PUMA x Aston Martin F1 Team partnership and a Select Capsule Collection.

In October, PUMA outlined its new strategic priorities aimed at resetting the company and establishing it as a Top 3 sports brand globally. While both its Wholesale and its direct-to-consumer business will continue to play an important role in PUMA’s distribution strategy, the company aims to evolve its channel mix and aim for higher growth in our direct-to-consumer channels to bring it closer to industry averages.

Note: The headline, insights, and image of this press release may have been refined by the Fibre2Fashion staff; the rest of the content remains unchanged.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (RM)

UK-based womenswear fashion brand Sosandar PLC has reported a revenue rise of 15 per cent year on year to £18.7 million (~$24.7 million), with own site sales jumping 28 per cent, for the six months ended September 30, 2025 (H1 FY26). Gross margin held steady at 62.2 per cent, reflecting the company’s continued focus on strategic margin improvement.

The retailer posted a loss before tax of £1.1 million (~$1.45 million), broadly in line with expectations, due to seasonal second-half profit weighting and the impact of its own store roll-out alongside an earlier M&S cyber incident.

Sosandar ended the period with £7.7 million in net cash, slightly higher compared with £7.3 million on March 31.

The business continues to perform strongly with its third-party partners, especially Next, where it ranks as a top-selling brand. The company also launched a licensed homeware range with Next in September, which has delivered a strong initial performance in line with expectations.

Physical retail stores continue to weigh on profitability while they mature, although Chelmsford and Marlow are reported to be progressing toward breakeven in their second year, Sosandar said in a release.

Recent trading in October and November has been in line with expectations, with the website delivering continued strong growth. Trading through M&S has resumed following its cyber disruption. Gross margin improved further to 67.2 per cent in the ongoing period, driven by higher intake margins on new season ranges.

“We are really pleased with how the business has performed over the past six months. During this period, we delivered a return to revenue growth, supported by strong momentum through our own website which remains a key driver of both sales and customer engagement, alongside a resilient gross margin,” Ali Hall and Julie Lavington, co-CEOs commented.

Cash has strengthened to £9.5 million as at November 22 following the seasonal uplift, and the firm has completed a capital reduction, buying back 5,000,000 shares held in treasury.

Sosandar said full-year outlook remains on track, reiterating revenue expectations of £43.6 million and profit before tax of £0.4 million for FY26.

“The Autumn/Winter season has delivered another robust trading performance, with customers continuing to respond positively to our unique collections across both occasion and everyday dressing. Looking forward, the foundations have been laid for sustainable, profitable, cash generative growth,” the co-CEOs said.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (HU)