Cocoa retreats on weak N American grind data

Cocoa futures on ICE fell on Friday, dropping below the highest levels since 2016 reached earlier this week on pressure from lower North American first-quarter grind data, while raw sugar inched down to a 2-1/2-year low on ample global supplies. July New York cocoa settled down $70, or 2.5 percent, at $2,729 per tonne. It closed the week up 5.9 percent after rallying by as much as 11 percent to a 1-1/2-year high at $2,856.
July London cocoa settled down 49 pounds, or 2.6 percent, at 1,829 pounds per tonne. Prices were pressured by data released late Thursday, traders said, showing that North American cocoa grindings fell 1.1 percent in the first quarter of 2018, at the low end of expectations.
"It just tells you that it's still a bit sluggish in North America," said one dealer. "Consumption is still slow and it's not improving." Some also viewed the higher year-over-year grind data in Asia as bearish, focusing instead on its 3.2 percent drop from the region's record fourth-quarter 2017 bean processing, traders said. The weak session stood in sharp contrast to the strengthening New York futures premium over London, with the New York July contract at a $152 premium over the London contract, with dealers pointing to funds as the key driver.
May raw sugar closed down 0.11 cent, or 0.9 percent, at 11.64 cents per lb, after falling to its weakest since late September 2015 at 11.57 cents on pressure from large global production, traders said. Total open interest remained above 1 million contracts, the highest since February 2008, ICE data showed.
Though Brazilian sugar exports are expected to fall in 2018-19, this will likely be offset by sharply higher production from India and Thailand, traders said. August white sugar settled down 80 cents, or 0.2 percent, at $342.40 per tonne. The premium for the August white sugar contract over July raws extended gains above $85 per tonne. July arabica coffee settled up 1.45 cents, or 1.3 percent, at $1.177 per lb.
July robusta coffee settled down $8, or 0.5 percent, at $1,759 per tonne.
Sucden Financial revised upward its 2018-19 coffee production forecast for top grower Brazil to 60 million to 62 million bags, from 58 million bags previously forecast and up from 52 million bags in 2017-18.