SOFTS-Arabica coffee slips from four-month highs while cocoa gains

LONDON, Sept 11 (Reuters) - Arabica coffee futures on ICE slipped on Thursday, with the market consolidating after hitting four-month highs this week, while cocoa headed higher.

COFFEE

* Arabica coffee KCc2 fell 0.4% to $3.8505 per lb, having hit its highest since early May at $3.9300 on Tuesday.

* "Coffee prices continue to rally, albeit at a slower rate, driven by U.S. tariff-induced market tightness, declining certified stocks, a downward revision in external forecasts of the 2025 Brazilian arabica harvest and fund buying," Rabobank said.

* It added, however, that the outlook for the 2026/27 arabica crop in top grower Brazil is promising and that this could have a significant impact on prices.

* Economists expect U.S. consumer price inflation data on Thursday to show that tariffs boosted the country's coffee prices, which have increased by the most in nearly 2-1/2 years.

* Brazil's coffee exports to the United States in August fell 46% from a year earlier after the Trump administration's 50% tariff on imports from Brazil.

* Dealers noted that the question of whether U.S. President Donald Trump overstepped his authority in enacting tariffs will be put before the Supreme Court in November, meaning a ruling is unlikely before early next year.

* Robusta coffee LRCc2 fell 0.9% to $4,430 a metric ton.

* Traders in top robusta producer Vietnam are upbeat about prospects for the coming crop, citing benign weather conditions, but the harvest in third-largest robusta producer Indonesia are being hampered by rain.

COCOA

* London cocoa LCCc2 rose 2.2% to 5,280 pounds a ton, having touched its lowest since July 21 at 4,980 pound on Tuesday.

* Dealers said the market may have over-sold on the weak demand theme and could be somewhat concerned about the weather, especially with reports of black pod disease in West Africa.

* New York cocoa CCc2 rose 1.5% to $7,577 a ton.

SUGAR

* Raw sugar SBc1 ​slipped 0.2% to 15.90 cents per lb, still some far from the two-month low of 15.38 cents hit on Monday.

* White sugar LSUc1 edged up 0.1% to $490.50 a ton.