Dec 28 (Reuters) -ICE cotton futures held steady on Thursday, after earlier rising to a nearly two-week high, as traders awaited the weekly U.S. export sales data due on Friday.

* Cotton contracts for March CTc1 were little changed, at 80.42 cents per lb at 10:43 a.m. ET (1543 GMT), after hitting their highest level since Dec. 15.

* Prices were on track for a second consecutive yearly decline.

* Trading volumes remained muted in the last week of the year that was shortened by the Christmas holiday.

* "We can see prices move within 100 points of unchanged either side of the market as volumes are extremely light," said Louis Barbera, partner and analyst at VLM Commodities.

* The USDA's weekly export sales report is due on Friday, a day later than usual this week due to the Christmas holiday. EXP/COT

* According to last week's report, exports of 222,300 running bales (RB) were at an all-time high for the marketing year 2023/2024.

* The dollar index, which measures it against six currencies, fell to a new five-month low. A weaker dollar makes cotton cheaper for buyers holding other currencies. USD/

* In the grain market, Chicago wheat futures rose, recouping some of the previous session's losses while corn and soybeans inched higher. GRA/

Reporting by Daksh Grover in Bengaluru
Editing by Tomasz Janowski