Sept 30 (Reuters) -ICE cotton futures rose on Monday on hopes for revival in demand from China after stimulus measures and concerns over potential crop damage in key growing areas due to hurricane Helene last week.
* Cotton contracts for December CTZ4 gained 0.52 cent, or 0.7%, to 73.27 cents per lb at 11:51 a.m. EDT (1551 GMT).
* "There's going to be some cotton lost in areas that got hit by the hurricane. I just don't see how it can be avoided," said Jack Scoville, vice president at Chicago-based Price Futures Group.
* "Also, I still think that there's expectations that China will develop into a better buyer of U.S. cotton over the next few months as these economic stimulus plans start working their way through the end of the economy."
* Hurricane Helene slammed into Florida's Gulf Coast on Thursday night, triggering days of driving rain and destroying homes that had stood for decades.
* The U.S. is the top exporter of cotton, while China is the biggest consumer of the natural fibre.
* China shares posted their biggest one-day gain in 16 years, thanks to Beijing's latest raft of stimulus policies. MKTS/GLOB
* Meanwhile, Cotton speculators cut their net short position by 9,632 contracts to 36,933 in the week of Sept. 24, CFTC data showed on Friday.
* Chicago soybean and corn fell on Monday and wheat rose as traders took positions ahead of the U.S. Department of Agriculture reports due later in the day. GTA/
* Oil prices rose on fears of a widening conflict in the Middle East curtailing Iranian crude supply, but prices were headed for a third straight monthly loss because of concerns about waning global demand. O/R
Reporting by Brijesh Patel in Bengaluru; Editing by Shilpi Majumdar