NEW YORK, May 24- Brent oil prices crept higher on Friday, as traders exited short positions ahead of a long holiday weekend in the United States, but the weekly percentage drop was still the biggest in more than a month. Brent crude oil futures settled 20 cents higher at $102.64 per barrel, after trading between $101.65 and $102.79.
*Cane crush in Brazil gathers pace. *Traders expect huge off-year arabicas crop in Brazil. NEW YORK/ LONDON, May 24- Arabica coffee futures on ICE extended losses to the lowest in more than three years on Friday, as computer-based traders continued to sell, while raw sugar inched higher following the previous session's turnaround up from the lowest since 2010..
*Corn, wheat decline in profit-taking setback. CHICAGO, May 24- U.S. soybean futures slipped lower on Friday for the first time in seven sessions and corn eased after two days of gains as investors squared ahead the long Memorial Day holiday weekend.
*Cane crush in Brazil gathers pace. *Traders expect huge off-year arabicas crop in Brazil. LONDON, May 24- Arabica coffee futures touched new multi-year lows on Friday, and raw sugar steadied near a low the previous session, both under pressure from big harvests in top producer Brazil.
NEW YORK, May 24- U.S. stock index futures trimmed declines on Friday after data showed orders for durable goods rose more than expected last month, providing an encouraging sign for the factory sector.
NEW YORK, May 24- U.S. stock index futures fell on Friday, setting up Wall Street for its first weekly decline since mid April, amid concern the central bank may scale back its support to the economy.
*Shrinking factory activity in China limits oil demand growth. SINGAPORE, May 24- Crude futures are set to post their biggest weekly loss in five weeks, with Brent edging down toward $102 per barrel on Friday, as ample supply and a slow global economic recovery fuelled worries that demand for oil would be hit.
At 0603 GMT, futures for Euro STOXX 50, for UK's FTSE 100, for Germany's DAX and for France's CAC were up 0.1-0.5 percent.
*Shrinking factory activity in China limits oil demand growth. SINGAPORE, May 24- Crude futures are set to post their biggest weekly loss in five weeks, with Brent edging down toward $102 per barrel on Friday, as ample supply and a slow global economic recovery fuelled worries that demand for oil would be hit.
*Shrinking factory activity in China limits oil demand growth. SINGAPORE, May 24- Crude futures are set to post their biggest weekly loss in five weeks, with Brent edging down toward $102 per barrel on Friday, as ample supply and a slow global economic recovery fuelled worries that demand for oil would be hit.
SINGAPORE, May 24- London copper futures edged higher on Friday after falling the most in three weeks the session before on signs that growth had stalled in top consumer China.
SINGAPORE, May 24- London copper futures edged higher on Friday after falling the most in three weeks the session before on signs that growth had stalled in top consumer China. *The most-traded September copper contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange was little changed at 52,680 yuan a tonne.
PERTH, May 24- U.S. crude futures dropped to around $94 a barrel on Friday after disappointing China data and on lingering concerns the U.S. July oil futures contract had fallen 9 cents to $94.16 a barrel by 0038 GMT.