The Commodity Futures Trading Commission will not release its first expanded trader report by the end of August, as the regulator initially had planned, a CFTC source said on Thursday.

The source did not give a reason for the delay or a date when the expanded report would be released.

We do expect to put out a press release in advance of the new report, that will basically walk everyone through what it's going to entail, what it's going to look like and how it can be used, the source said.

The CFTC announced in early July it would overhaul its weekly Commitments of Traders report to provide more information about positions held by traders to increase transparency of business occurring on futures exchanges.

The new report is part of the regulator's push to boost transparency on futures exchanges and curb excessive speculation, which some blame for helping commodity prices spike to record heights last year.

The expanded report will break down positions by producers, merchants, swap dealers, hedge funds and other participants. In an effort to level the playing field for all participants -- including large institutional investors, companies that consume commodities, to even the smallest of farmers.

Currently, the CFTC lists aggregate positions for commercial and noncommercial players, and places smaller market participants into a nonreportable category. The report is released every Friday.

It breaks down open interest in a futures contract in which 20 or more traders held positions that equaled or exceeded the reporting levels set by the CFTC.

The report is an important indicator of supply and demand in energy, agricultural and other futures markets. Analysts and traders use it to calculate the size of the net noncommercial, or speculative, position in a market.

The new Commitments of Traders report will mark the latest step by the CFTC to improve its oversight of markets since Chairman Gary Gensler assumed the top post in May.

The regulator recently increased oversight over certain contracts like natural gas and carbon that had been exempt from its authority.

Gensler has said the CFTC will consider adding position limits for energy contracts similar to what is in place for agricultural markets to prevent large players from having too much influence over prices.

(Editing by David Gregorio)