Raw sugar futures closed strong on Friday, in thin dealings and on a lift from speculative buying as ethanol mills began to crush in Brazil's center-south region. Cocoa and coffee also climbed quietly to settle higher. The opening hours will return to normal March 28, after a temporary one-hour delay over the past two weeks due to the seasonal time change.
The benchmark May raw sugar contract rose 0.41 cent to close at 27.86 cents per lb. On the week, the market is up 0.05 percent. May arabica coffee futures rose 2.80 cents to close at $2.6860 per lb. May finished the week down 2.8 percent. Key May cocoa futures rose $39 to settle at $3,242 a tonne. May closed the week up 3.7 percent.