FX.co ★ S&P 500 Speculative Net Shorts Narrow as Futures Traders Trim Bearish Bets

Speculative positioning in S&P 500 futures turned modestly less bearish, with net short positions narrowing in the latest reporting period. According to CFTC data updated on 12 June 2026, speculative net positions in the S&P 500 rose to -205.6K contracts from a previous level of -220.8K.

While the aggregate stance remains net short, the reduction in bearish exposure suggests some traders are scaling back expectations for further downside in the U.S. equity benchmark. The shift may indicate a degree of short covering or a more cautious approach to maintaining aggressive negative bets on the S&P 500, even as sentiment has not yet flipped to net long territory.