Chicago Board of Trade rough rice futures ended higher Thursday, breaking away from the defensive theme seen in other grain futures on a speculative led rally in new crop futures.

March rice ended 10 cents higher at $10.32 per hundredweight, May rice finished 12 cents higher at $10.64, and the November future settled 11 cents higher at $11.35.

Speculative buying in new crop futures led the market higher, as bullish acreage concerns and new crop stock issues continue to serve as catalysts to attract buyers.