ICE cocoa futures climbed to an 8-1/2-month high ealy on Friday in heavy volume after talks failed to resolve a political standoff in Ivory Coast, deepening worries about possible supply disruptions from the world's top producer. A soft dollar boosted coffee and sugar markets, traders said, with ICE arabica coffee futures surging as high as 10 cents or 4.3 percent to $2.4180 per lb on investor buying, approaching last week's 13-1/2-year peak.
ICE May cocoa futures were $11 or 0.4 percent higher at $3,198 per tonne at 1550 GMT, having earlier touched $3,240, the highest level for the second month contract since May 4. ICE May arabica coffee futures were up 7.6 cents or 3.3 percent to $2.4125 per lb ICE March raw sugar was up 0.63 cent or 2 percent at 31.94 cents a lb, well below the December 29 30-year peak of 34.77 cents a lb.