A popular tool used by futures traders to get a sense of sentiment is also applicable to spot forex traders. The Commitment of Traders (COT) report is released every Friday by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). The data is based on positions held as of the preceding Tuesday, which means the data is not real-time, but it’s still useful.
Interpreting the actual publications released by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission can be confusing, and somewhat of an art. Therefore, charting the data and interpreting the levels shown is an easier way to gauge sentiment via the COT reports.