*Posted on behalf of Dr. Aaron Smith. A pdf of this article can be accessed by clicking the title below*
Correlation between Stock Markets and Cotton Futures
By Dr. Aaron Smith, Associate Professor and Charles Martinez, Assistant Professor
Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of Tennessee
Since mid-February, cotton and stock markets have plummeted due to the spread of the COVID-19 virus. The COVID-19 pandemic has reverberated through all sectors of the US and global economies. Probably the most effected of the agricultural commodities is cotton. Cotton is tied closely to global economic activity as, in general, clothing and other apparel purchases are not a necessity and can be delayed, unlike food. For this reason, there is a close correlation between stock markets, such as the S&P 500, and cotton futures (Figure 1). Continue reading
While the finish line is either within sight or has been reached by most, Tennessee still has several acres of cotton in the field. Several have reported fall out, or seed cotton on the ground, on some of these acres. There are several methods to estimate yield loss from fall out. This article explains string-out, fall out, the method for estimating harvest loss from lock counts and covers potential sources of error in the estimate. 
With the arctic blast in the forecast and the substantial number of cotton acres left in the field, several have recently asked about how to keep water in their cotton pickers moisture system from freezing. Some operators occasionally mix a small percentage of methanol with water to lower the freezing point of water, but extreme caution must be used with this liquid since it is highly flammable. This post includes a brief demonstration concerning methanol/water mixtures and freeze points of different mixtures. Please note prior to using methanol or any other liquid in your moisture system you should consult the manufacturer. 
The forecast lows for Thursday/Friday/Saturday/Sunday nights have bounced around over the past few days, but this morning they included a 26, 28, 28 and 31. I’ve passed many fields with a large percentage of large bolls in the upper canopy still closed. Today (10/29) is the day to make any last-ditch effort at opening those bolls; it is likely all bolls remaining closed after this weekend will freeze shut.