Cocoa futures rise in London, white sugar prices fall

LONDON (Reuters) - Cocoa futures on London's ICE exchange rose on Monday, as the market resumed its recent trend, while white sugar prices fell. The raw sugar, Arabica coffee and cocoa markets in New York were closed this Monday due to a holiday in the United States. COCOA * The May cocoa contract ended with a 1.6% gain at 4,597 pounds per metric ton. * Traders said the outlook for West African crops continued to deteriorate, potentially increasing the size of an already large global deficit in the 2023/24 season. * Severe heat and lack of rain last week in most of Ivory Coast's cocoa-producing regions could delay the start and reduce the size of the April-September interim harvest, farmers said on Monday. * Traders noted that the market was looking to resume its uptrend after absorbing a wave of profit-taking by funds. SUGAR * White sugar closed down 1%, at $632.10 per ton. * Traders said the weather in Brazil's south-central region continued to be the main focus, with concerns ...