1.   While whole bean prices more than doubled, gourmet coffee bars pushed up their prices by a far lower percentage.

2.   Continued talk of dry conditions in southern growing regions of Brazil also boosted U.S. bean prices.

3.   Soybean processors in the current market are likely to be losing money, as a jump in bean prices outpaced gains in processed products, particularly soybean oil.

4.   Soybeans gained as European and Middle Eastern countries bought soybeans and grains following recent lower bean prices and the weaker dollar.

5.   Unroasted bean prices soared amid lean inventories and smaller-than-expected crops from Latin America and Indonesia.

6.   As a result, bean prices rose.

7.   Maize is used as an alternative to soya in, for example, animal feed when bean prices jump out of control.

8.   Soya bean prices continued their upward progress in Chicago last week, helped by poor growing weather for the crop in South America.