London white sugar futures closed higher on trade, speculator and fund buying on Wednesday amid sentiment that supplies are tight, traders said. Front-month October touched a new contract high of $313.40 per tonne, before closing at $311.20, up $0.80, in volume of 3,762 lots, having moved from $309.50 to $313.40.
December settled up $5.20 at $298.70 in volume of 3,958 lots after trading from $293.40 to $299.00.
Traders said a perception that supplies were tight had triggered another round of trade and speculative buying, although at a less frenetic pace than Tuesday.
COCOA LOWER London cocoa futures closed lower on Wednesday in activity centred on structural trades and Against Actuals (AAs - a form of hedging) in light volumes, dealers said.
September concluded down two pounds at 818 pounds a tonne in volume of 1,537 lots, having moved from 823 to 815 pounds.
Second-month December settled down three pounds at 824 pounds a tonne in volume of 4,180 lots, after trading from 831 to 820 pounds.
"The market is still marking time. We are looking at another rangebound day," a dealer said.
COFFEE HIGHER Liffe November coffee futures closed up nearly 2.5 percent on trade and speculator buying on Wednesday, driven by worries of potential damage to US coffee stocks from Hurricane Katrina, traders said.
Benchmark November futures earlier tested $1,000 per tonne and surged to a session high of $1,005 before easing back to settle at $975, up $23, in volume of 12,103 lots.
September futures concluded up $23 at $943 in volume of 9,332 lots, having moved from $978 to $922. Total volume was a hefty 29,420 lots.