London sugar mixed

London sugar futures settled mixed on Monday on trade buying against producer, trade and speculative selling after a choppy session marked by brisk spread activity, dealers said. May finished up 50 cents at $345.20 per tonne in firm volume of 4,014 lots after moving from $346.20 to $342.30.
August closed down 10 cents at $328.70 in volume of 3,003 lots, having traded from $330.00 to $326.00.
Traders referred to trade buying against producer, trade and speculative selling and talked of active spread trades with narrowing May-August premiums of around $15. The May contract expires on April 13.
Dealers also noted arbitrage sales at a whites-over-raws premium between the London and New York May contracts holding steady at around $117.
COCOA ENDS FIRMER:
London cocoa futures closed firmer in thin volumes on Monday with the market still consolidating after its recent run-up to an eight-month high, dealers said.
May closed up 10 pounds at 994 pounds a tonne after trading in a range of 1,001 to 978 pounds. The contract rose as high as 1,010 pounds early last week, an eight-month high for the then second month. Total volume was a very light 4,882 lots.
Dealers said the recent run-up had been fuelled partly by concern about dry weather in top producer Ivory Coast. Some farmers in the world's top grower have described the drought as the worst in living memory.
COFFEE RISES:
London coffee futures settled below one-week highs on trade and speculative buying in thin volumes on Monday, dealers said, adding that the market remained range-bound.
May finished up $10 at $1,519 per tonne in volume of 3,971 lots, having moved from $1,523 to $1,501. "Robustas have seen spec and trade buying against trade selling. We're stuck in a range, but the market is well underpinned and the jury is still out on which way the market is headed," one dealer said.