Liffe's most active December contract concluded six pounds lower at 837 pounds a tonne after moving 1,916 lots from a total of 3,548. The contract traded between 844 and 830.
Cocoa arrivals at ports in Ivory Coast are picking up at the start of the 2005/06 season as farmers who stockpiled beans hoping prices would improve started to sell before the quality of their stocks fell.
SUGAR DOWN: London white sugar futures closed lower on heavy hedge selling after a larger-than-expected EU sugar export tender award on Thursday, traders said.
Front-month December clawed back after dropping 2.5 percent to a session low of $289.10 per tonne to end down 30 cents at $296.20 per tonne in volume of 5,764 lots, after trading from $297.10 to $289.10.
March ended down 40 cents at $304.70 per tonne in volume of 3,680 lots, having moved from $305.00 to $298.50.
Earlier, the European Union sold 164,000 tonnes of white sugar at a maximum rebate of 40.109 euros per 100 kg at Thursday's tender, EU data said.
COFFEE FLAT: Robusta coffee in London steadied on Thursday in a session dominated by trade Against Actuals and contract rolling, dealers said.
Liffe's second-month January closed $1.00 higher at $964 a tonne after a range of $971-960 on turnover of 11,830 lots. Spot November finished down $1.00 at $943 on volume of 11,801 lots between $950 and $940. Total turnover was 25,947.