NEW YORK, Sept 13: Cotton futures finished higher on Friday on investor buying inspired in part by a weak dollar and higher grains prices, brokers said.

Cotton’s getting help from (the) other markets and the weaker dollar, said Sharon Johnson, cotton expert for First Capitol Group in Atlanta, Georgia.

The benchmark December cotton contract climbed 0.66 cent to finish at 64.52 cents per lb, dealing from 64.09 to 65.85 cents. March gained 0.52 cent to 69.34 cents.

Volume traded in the December contract stood at 12,638 lots at 2:38 p.m. (1838 GMT).

The market was also aided by some jitters over the potential damage that powerful Hurricane Ike may have on cotton growing areas in Texas and elsewhere in the Southern United States.

The trade took note of news that up to 8.0 inches of rain fell in the Lubbock, Texas, area which is the heart of the cotton belt in the state, the biggest cotton grower in the country.

Analysts said that part of Texas will need hot and dry weather over the next six to eight weeks to prepare cotton properly for harvest.—Reuters