New York cocoa futures rose to a one-month high on Wednesday, boosted partially by expectations that upcoming fourth quarter grind data will provide further evidence that demand is beginning to increase. March New York cocoa settled up $42, or 2.2 percent, at $1,941 per tonne, earlier climbing to a one-month high of $1,956.
"The grind comes out next week and everyone's positive on the grind," a New York trader said, noting North America's Q4 figures could rise by about 3 percent year-over-year, while Europe could see about a 2 percent increase. Europe's fourth quarter grind is scheduled to be released on Monday and North American data on Jan. 18.
"There is a massive spec short position and they are probably bound to cover a little bit before the grind is released. And ... you've got the shooting in the Ivory Coast, which just tells you that there's still tension, even if it's very localized events," a dealer added. March London cocoa settled up 28 pounds, or 2 percent, at 1,404 pounds a tonne, earlier hitting a three-week high of 1,405 pounds per tonne.
March raw sugar settled down 0.18 cent, or 0.5 percent, at 14.65 cents per lb. Dealers said the market had risen in early January ahead of an expected wave of buying linked to fund rebalancing but the market's subsequent performance had been weaker than expected.
However, "strong ethanol demand has been giving this market some underlying support," said Boyd Cruel, senior market strategist at High Ridge Futures in Chicago. "But still, the global outlook looks bearish." March white sugar settled down $2, or 0.5 percent, at $387.60 per tonne.
March robusta coffee settled up $2, or 0.1 percent, at $1,726 per tonne. World coffee output is seen rising to a fresh record in 2017-18 as a recovery in robusta production offsets a decline in the arabica variety, the International Coffee Organization (ICO) said on Tuesday.
Weather conditions in main growing regions are ideal for a good crop, said James Cordier, president of Option Sellers in Tampa, Florida. "When Brazil has excellent weather conditions during a crop-on cycle, that's really headwinds for coffee prices going forward the next six to 12 months." Top-grower Brazil is expecting widespread showers in the southern Sao Paulo and Parana region, with lighter scattered showers across the rest of the coffee belt, Radiant Solutions said in a note. March arabica coffee settled down 1.2 cent, or 1 percent, at $123.95 per lb.