Liffe October white sugar ended down $8.80 at $755.70 a tonne on Friday, tracking weakness in the ICE market. The August contract expired earlier in the session with dealers expecting around 200,000 to 300,000 tonnes to be tendered against the contract. Liffe September cocoa ended 16 pounds higher at 1,992 pounds a tonne, ample near-term supplies capped gains.
Liffe September robusta coffee ended $30 lower at $2,276 a tonne, dealers said a lack of origin selling helped underpin prices. "I think the (sugar) market is going through a corrective phase. I think we did get overbought," one London sugar broker said. Dealers noted the market was hovering near its 10-day moving average, currently around 28.89 cents, and a close below that level may trigger fund selling. The market continued to keep a close watch on the outlook in top producer Brazil with diminishing crop prospects helping fuel the recent run-up in prices.
A senior Brazilian analyst on Thursday predicted a smaller reduction in 2011/12 Brazilian cane output than cane industry group Unica, due to an increase in cane area. Dealers said large crops elsewhere would also lessen the impact of any shortfall in Brazil. "Brazil isn't a major factor when you look at the improvements that you've got in India, Thailand, Europe, Mexico and the Philippines," one dealer said, adding a significant global surplus was still generally anticipated in 2011/12.
"Today we are trying to take stock what is going to happen next," one London-based broker said. Dealers said the threat of frost in Brazil continued to recede. Telvent DTN said on Friday there was favourable harvest weather for the coffee crop across Brazil and no damaging cold was expected. Dealers said roaster buying had helped to limit losses in robusta coffee futures on Liffe with September off a marginal $2 at $2,304 a tonne. Certified coffee stocks held in NYSE Liffe nominated warehouses rose to 416,860 tonnes as of July 11, from 412,380 tonnes on June 27, exchange data showed.
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