OREANDA-NEWS. February 06, 2015. Sugar futures steadied on Thursday, capped by high stocks and talk that India could launch raw sugar export incentives soon, while cocoa firmed and moved further above a one-year low set earlier this week.

Arabica coffee futures edged up on chart-based buying with a focus on forecasts for rainfall in top grower Brazil.

Raw sugar futures were little changed with March up 0.11 cent, or 0.8 percent, at 14.56 cents a lb, within sight of a one-month low of 14.10 cents a lb touched on Monday.

"The market is in a range and will be influenced by movements in the Brazilian real. Sentiment over expected approval of Indian raw sugar export incentives, will keep a cap on the market," a senior trade source said.

March white sugar futures were up \\$2.30 or 0.6 percent at \\$380.00 per tonne.

March New York cocoa on ICE was up \\$21, or 0.8 percent, at \\$2,745 a tonne, rising further away from Monday's one-year low at \\$2,669.

One London-based dealer talked of a combination of chart-based buying in a correction from the one-year low, as well as concerns over recent weak Ghana purchase data and reports that a strong Harmattan dry wind had swept through Ghana.

"Crop development in Ghana may have had a slight downturn," the dealer said.

Benchmark May London cocoa futures was up 9 pounds, or 0.5 percent, at 1,902 pounds a tonne.

Arabica coffee futures were firm but remained in a range, rising on chart-based buying as rains in top grower Brazil were not as strong as normal.

March arabica coffee rose 0.4 cents, or 0.2 percent, to \\$1.6530 per lb.

May robusta coffee futures were up \\$5, or 0.3 percent, at \\$1,966 a tonne.

"Building on near term support, further moves on the upside will look to target resistance towards \\$2,000 before we see futures attempt to test levels towards \\$2,030," said Kash Kamal, research analyst with Sucden Financial.