Raw-Sugar, Arabica-Coffee Futures Bounce After Tumbles

  NEW YORK - Raw-sugar and arabica-coffee futures rebounded Wednesday after

tumbling in the previous session on robust supplies.

  Raw sugar for March delivery on ICE Futures U.S. was up 0.3% at 18.51 cents a

pound. Prices had dropped 2.4% to a four-week low Tuesday

  The contract is down 8.2% since its Oct. 18 intraday peak of 20.16 cents a

pound, hit when traders were betting that a fire at the Brazilian port of

Santos could curtail exports from the world's No. 1 sugar producer and

exporter.

  But global supplies of the sweetener are still exceeding demand. The

International Sugar Organization expects global sugar supplies to outpace

demand by 4.5 million metric tons in the 2013-14 season, which started Oct. 1.

  "As far as sugar prices are concerned, a warehouse fire at the Brazilian port

of Santos turned out to be but a 'flash in the pan,' for international supply

remains high despite the resulting export shortfall," said Commerzbank in a

note.

  Arabica-coffee futures were up slightly after hitting a new

four-and-a-half-year low Tuesday. December-delivery coffee was up 0.5% at

$1.0750 a pound.