LONDON Dec 13 (Reuters) - Arabica coffee and raw sugar on ICE registered modest gains in early trade on Thursday as a slightly weaker dollar helped prices edge above the prior session's lows. COFFEE * Arabica coffee futures rose slightly up in early trade although prices continued to hover just above the prior session's one-year low. * March arabica coffee on ICE was up 0.70 cent or 0.3 percent at $2.1870 a lb at 1027 GMT. The contract dipped to $2.1725 on Wednesday, the lowest level for the benchmark second month since December 2010. * Dealers said selling have been triggered mainly by selling across the commodity complex linked to the deepening debt crisis in the euro zone and the strengthening dollar. * March robusta coffee on Liffe was up $2 or 0.1 percent at $1,914 a tonne. The contract hit $1,898 a tonne on Wednesday, the lowest level for the second month since late November. * Vietnamese exporters may delay some robusta shipments as farmers hold on to their beans with domestic prices remaining higher than export prices, traders said on Thursday. SUGAR * ICE raw sugar futures also edged up in early trade but remained within striking distance of the prior session's 6-1/2 month low. * Benchmark March futures traded up 0.10 cent or 0.4 percent at 22.90 cents a lb. The contract fell to 22.68 cents on Wednesday, the lowest level for the front month since June. * Dealers said a period of consolidation was possible although any further strength in the dollar could exert further downward pressure on prices. * March white sugar futures on Liffe fell $1.30 or 0.2 percent to $596.40 per tonne. COCOA * Cocoa futures were lower with the market back on the defensive after rebounding sharply from a three-year low set early this week. * March cocoa on ICE was down $27 or 1.2 percent at $2,153 a tonne. * Dealers said the sharp rally of the last few days appeared to have temporarily lost momentum. March set a contract low of $1,983 on Monday but rebounded to a peak of $2,274 on Wednesday. * The bounce was sparked partly by a forecast from leading cocoa trader Olam International Ltd which warned of a tightening global market in 2012, with supplies moving into deficit after this year's record surplus drove prices too low. * May cocoa on Liffe fell 17 pounds or 1.2 percent to 1,423 pounds a tonne. MARKET NEWS * The euro steadied just off new 11-month lows on Thursday, with eyes fixed on a Swiss National Bank (SNB) meeting to consider its campaign of currency intervention while a Spanish bond auction will offer more signs on the depth of Europe's debt crisis. * The euro fell to a two-month low versus the yen on Thursday as the single currency continued to come under selling pressure on lingering worries about the euro zone debt crisis. * Brent crude futures rose on Thursday, recouping some losses as investors seized the opportunity to buy after the previous session saw the biggest plunge in nearly three months, given worries over Middle East supply disruption. (Reporting by Nigel Hunt; editing by Jason Neely)

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