India Bans Cotton Exports, Global Prices Jump

India banned cotton exports with immediate effect on Monday to ensure supplies for domestic mills, boosting global prices some 4.5 percent as the absence of shipments from the world's second-largest producer might tighten a market facing weak demand.

India has already exported 9.4 million bales, the government said on Monday, higher than the projected export surplus quota of 8.4 million bales New Delhi had set in January, due to strong demand from China. Each bale is 170 kg.