LONDON: Arabica coffee futures on ICE were higher on Thursday, boosted partly by a strengthening in the currency of top producer Brazil, while cocoa and sugar prices weakened. March arabica coffee rose 2.35 cents, or 2.0%, to $1.1940 per lb by 1446 GMT, boosted partly by a stronger Brazilian real.
The Brazilian real jumped on Thursday after the central bank hinted for the first time its policy easing cycle could end soon amid a rise in inflation, while data showed a better-than-expected upward move in October retail sales.
A stronger real decreases dollar-denominated prices in local currency terms and can curb producer sales.
March robusta coffee rose $6, or 0.45%, to $1,340 per tonne, rebounding from an earlier five-week low of $1,317.
Favourable harvest weather in top robusta producer Vietnam had contributed to earlier weakness.
The harvest is now about 20 to 25% complete in Vietnam with the weather favourable and production now likely to drop less than previously anticipated.
March New York cocoa was down $10, or 0.4%, at $2,539 a tonne after dipping to a low of $2,522, the weakest since Nov. 18.
Dealers said price charts were looking more bearish after the recent decline while rains this week in top producer Ivory Coast look set to improve the outlook for the mid-crop.
March London cocoa fell 11 pounds, or 0.6%, to 1,714 pounds a tonne.
March raw sugar fell 0.23 cents, or 1.5%, to 14.74 cents per lb.
Mills in Brazil's center-south region produced 427,000 tonnes of sugar in the second half of November, 22% more than in same period a year earlier but more than 60% less than in the previous fortnight as the season winds down.
Dealers said sugar production was slightly lower than expected but had little impact on prices. March white sugar fell $6.50, or 1.6%, to $402.70 a tonne.
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