OREANDA-NEWS. February 13, 2015. Raw sugar futures on ICE edged higher on spread trade on Thursday buoyed by a weaker dollar, with dealers expecting a small delivery against Friday's white sugar expiry, while cocoa struck a three-week high.

Arabica coffee firmed on chart-based buying.

In raw sugar, the March/May spread traded at a 0.13 cent premium as index funds rolled their positions forward, reflecting tight supplies in the Brazil inter-crop period. The March contract will expire on Feb. 27.

ICE March raw sugar futures were up 0.17 cents, or 1.2 percent, at 14.88 cents a lb at 1516 GMT.

"We continue to believe the market is rangebound and expect resistance at the 40-day average at 14.89 cents a lb and the 15 cents a lb level basis March New York," said Nick Penney, senior trader with Sucden Financial Sugar.

A small delivery is expected against the ICE March white sugar futures expiry on Friday, traders said. They said it was likely to be below 200,000 tonnes and include Central American origin sugar.

London March white sugar futures rose \\$2.20, or 0.6 percent, to \\$379.20 per tonne.

New York cocoa futures rose for the eighth straight session on concerns about mid-crop output in the world's top two producers Ivory Coast and Ghana.

Most-active May New York cocoa on ICE was up \\$20, or 0.7 percent, at \\$2,904 a tonne, having earlier hit a fresh three-week high of \\$2,915 a tonne.

May London cocoa futures were up 2 pounds, or 0.1 percent, at 1,983 pounds a tonne.

Arabica coffee firmed, respecting support levels around \\$1.60.

March arabica coffee futures traded up 3.55 cents, or 2.2 percent, at \\$1.6300 per lb.

May robusta coffee was up \\$32, or 1.6 percent, at \\$2,006 a tonne.

"Activity has seen futures gap slightly higher despite lacking the conviction for further significant gains," said Kash Kamal, research analyst at Sucden Financial.