Brokerage house Spectron Group Thursday said it has launched clearing facilities for over-the-counter swaps in sugar, coffee and cocoa.

The swaps are being cleared by ICE Clear US, a unit of the InterContinentalExchange Inc. (ICE).

"There certainly appears to be demand for OTC clearing among softs market players, and we hope that offering this facility will help draw in new market entrants and stimulate increased market liquidity," Drew Stephens, managing director of Spectron Group, said.

Last month Spectron officially launched its soft commodities and agricultural products desk, covering the sugar, wheat, coffee, cocoa, corn and soybean swaps and options markets. The London-based desk covers U.S. and European time zones.

Company Web site: http://www.spectrongroup.com

-By Alex MacDonald, Dow Jones Newswires; +44 (0)20 7842 9328; alex.macdonald@dowjones.com