London sugar lower

London white sugar futures closed lower on Wednesday, weakened by speculative profit-taking following the recent run-up to a nine-year high, traders said.
"There was some speculative profit-taking but volume wise it was very quiet," one dealer said.
Dealers noted that Liffe had raised margins on whites to $990 per lot, effective the close of business, following recent volatility. The prior margin rate was not immediately available.
Front-month March closed $1.80 lower at $350.20 a tonne. Total volume was 2,191 lots.
An Indian sugar firm has sold about 20,000 tonnes of sugar to Pakistan at around $380 a tonne, FOB, a senior company official said on Wednesday.
COFFEE HIGHER:
London robusta coffee futures closed higher on Wednesday, boosted mainly by speculative buying, traders said.
"Specs are going long again," one dealer said, noting the market's technical outlook had become more bullish following its close above $1,180 a tonne on the March contract.
March closed up $30 or 2.6 percent at $1,189 a tonne, just below the day's high of $1,190.
Volume was a heavy 23,511 lots, boosted by active rolling forward of positions out of January into March.
Some scale-up trade selling helped to limit the advance.
Dry weather in Vietnam was seen as mildly bearish. Prices had been supported last week by delays to deliveries from leading robusta producer Vietnam, where heavy rains had prevented growers from drying beans.
COCOA MOVES UP: London cocoa futures closed higher on Wednesday, boosted mainly by speculative buying in thin conditions, dealers said.
"It is just some spec buying popping it higher. It is tough to read a lot into it (the price move) because volumes aren't that good," one trader said.
Front-month March closed 5 pounds higher at 895 pounds a tonne, just below the day's high of 897 pounds.
Total volume was a light 6,344 lots.
Dealers said the strength of the dollar against sterling contributed to the modest advance. Prices had opened lower following a decline in New York on Tuesday and spent most of the day in negative territory.
They noted news that deliveries from the Ivory Coast had risen but said it did not have a major impact on prices.
New deliveries of fresh cocoa beans from the bush should start arriving at Ivory Coast's ports from this week and these will lift recently flagging arrivals, local buyers said on Tuesday as exporters' estimates showed port arrivals recovering from a two-week slump.