1442 EDT [Dow Jones] - ICE October cotton backed off of its early gains,
ending 1.04 cents, or 1%, down to $0.9975 a pound. A production shortfall
caused by worse-than-expected weather in Asia has importers rushing to buy
cotton at higher prices than normal, which has boosted demand and prices
throughout the month. Today's session marked the first time since Sept. 9 that
cotton futures failed to establish a new high.