US cocoa closed up 4 percent on Friday on the back of better-than-expected US fourth-quarter 2008 grind data and currency-related buying, traders said. Agricultural markets trading on ICE Futures US will close Monday for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and reopen for regular trade Tuesday, January 20. Benchmark March settled up $96, or 4.1 percent, at $2,463 per tonne, after falling sharply earlier this week.
Wide trading band from $2,391 to $2,492. At 12:44 pm EST (1744 GMT), March futures were up $93 at $2,460 per tonne, with volume at 5,449 lots. The electronic platform trades until 2:45 pm. Bolstered by, better-than-expected US grind data on Thursday, and sharply higher British pound against the dollar - cocoa trader. US cocoa grindings in last year's fourth quarter rose 1.85 percent from a year earlier to 92,088 tonnes - National Confectioners Association.
However, figures "not at all impressive" considered grind in the fourth quarter of 2007 was the lowest since 1995, and that total US grindings was down last year - Judy Ganes-Chase of commodity firm J Ganes Consulting. Supply concerns also help. Cocoa arrivals at ports in top grower Ivory Coast reached 506,714 tonnes by December 31, down from 763,816 tonnes in the same period a year ago - exporters data.
A few scattered and generally light showers in West Africa's cocoa areas, the next few days, with warm temperatures - DTN Meteorlogix. Total volume Thursday at a heavy 17,908 lots - exchange data. Open interest in the cocoa market at 116,202 lots by January 15, down from the previous 120,042 lots - exchange data.