U.S. cocoa futures closed strong, on a small upside correction and a lift from the strong sterling against the dollar.
* Key May cocoa futures rose $74 or 2.3 percent to finish at $3,263 per tonne.
* Market slightly corrected higher from its recent sell-off with a lift from the strong sterling against the U.S. dollar - traders.
* May has fallen 18 percent from the 32-year high at $3,775 per tonne on March 4, after the risk premium had been worked into the market on instability in top grower Ivory Coast, and as the May/July spread narrowed as supply fears eased - traders.
* Fund liquidation and commercial buying kept the market choppy - traders.
* The U.N. peacekeeping mission to Ivory Coast said Laurent Gbagbo's forces were readying an attack helicopter and multiple rocket launchers and condemned the growing use of heavy weapons against civilians.
* Good rains mixed with lengthy sunny spells last week in Ivory Coast's cocoa regions boded well for the development of the mid-crop about to be harvested - farmers, analysts. *****
