Cocoa futures jumped to 5-1/2-month peaks on Thursday after failed mediations in top grower Ivory Coast and a fire in a Dutch cocoa factory added to fears about possible supply disruptions. Coffee and sugar slumped, tracking a setback in many other commodity markets after stronger-than-expected Chinese growth data raised the prospect of tighter monetary policy in the world's second-largest economy.
ICE May cocoa rose $46 or 1.5 percent to $3,161 a tonne at 1614 GMT after touching $3,186, the highest level for the second month contract since August 4. ICE March raw sugar was down 0.7 cent or 2.1 percent at 30.53 cents a lb, after dipping to 30.04 cents per lb, its lowest since December 30. Coffee futures followed commodities lower, with the March contract on ICE dipping to a trough of $2.2635 per lb, its lowest since December 21. It stood down 1.85 cents or 0.8 percent at $2.3065 a lb.