SOFTS-Arabica coffee powers up to 13-month high

* Arabica coffee rallies on chart-based buying

* Sucden sees possibility sugar can exceed 25 cts/lb

* Cocoa market ignores N.American Q3 cocoa grind data (Recasts with markets closing levels, adds U.S. comment, byline, and NEW YORK dateline)

NEW YORK/LONDON, Oct 16 - Arabica coffee futures soared to close at their highest level in 13 months on Friday, as market players reacted to bullish technical signals.

Raw sugar futures finished little changed after rallying on talk of renewed Indian physical buying inquiries and concerns over persistent rains in Brazil, traders said.

Cocoa finished little changed, while robusta coffee and white sugar ended the day in positive territory.

Arabica coffee futures felt earlier pressure from the firm dollar but reversed sharply higher on chart-based and fund buying, dealers said.

"It's mostly a technical move because it managed to break $1.40, so there were some buy stops," said Marcio Bernardo, coffee analyst with Newedge USA.

ICE December arabicas surged 5.10 cents, or 3.7 percent, to close at $1.4285 per lb, the highest settlement for the spot contract since September 2008.

"As long as we can hold this, it's got moon-shot potential," said Jack Scoville, analyst for brokers The Price Futures Group.

Liffe November robustas closed up $17 at $1,460 per tonne.

In raw sugar, dealers said the market had potential to probe fresh 28-1/2-year peaks next week. Front-month ICE raw sugar futures hit the high of 24.85 cents a lb Sept. 1.

"Bearing in mind that next week is the Brazilian Sugar Dinner Week and usually at such boisterous gatherings the markets tended to move higher, before retreating as the mist clears, the markets may see a test of the 25.00 cents level at some point next week," Sucden said in a daily market report.

Raw sugar futures have more than doubled this year, driven by India's surging appetite for the sweetener after the world's number one consumer swung to an importer from exporter, and on worries over the impact on yields of the heavy Brazilian rains.

Nick Hungate, a soft commodities trader with Rabobank, said Brazilian rains were still a major concern underpinning prices.

"Today's rise in the market is probably follow-through buying from yesterday's strong close," Hungate said.

"An important factor is the poor weather in Brazil, and that it looks likely that Brazilian producers will buy back portions of their export sales."

ICE March raw sugar futures settled up 0.06 cent at 23.91 cents a lb, coming off the session peak at 24.34 cents per lb on light profit-taking.

London (Liffe) December white sugar finished up $4.40 at $600.90 per tonne.

Cocoa futures ignored the slight fall in North American third-quarter grind data, a key measure of demand, which was in line with market expectations.

"Today's market move so far has been more technical on long profit taking."

Rabobank's Hungate said, "It's technical consolidation, position trimming, ahead of the weekend."

London March cocoa closed down 7 pounds to 2,141 pounds, while ICE December cocoa finished $6 higher at $3,273 per tonne.