Sugar – Rate and Chart, What Influences Prices

Discover how to profit from sugar trading with our detailed guide. Track the current prices of standard sugar grades through a live online chart, explore accurate forecasts, and get a clear overview of futures contracts available on global exchanges. Sugar remains one of the most actively traded commodities worldwide, driven by strong demand from both the food industry and renewable energy sectors. Its price is sensitive to factors like weather fluctuations, crop yields, government interventions, and global consumption trends. Whether you’re a seasoned trader or a newcomer, understanding these dynamics can help you make informed decisions and capitalize on market opportunities.

Simple and Lightweight Sugar Futures Live Chart. Our Sugar Futures Live Chart is a fast, user-friendly, and completely free tool that lets you perform in-depth technical analysis online—no downloads or installations required. Designed to meet the demands of even the most advanced traders, this chart offers over 100 powerful analysis tools at your fingertips. With just two clicks, you can add any of the 80+ technical indicators directly onto the live sugar futures chart, unlocking endless possibilities for market insights and smarter trading decisions.

Technical Analysis Sugar Futures

Sugar Futures Technical Analysis Widget. Discover a modern and intuitive tool designed to simplify your sugar futures trading. This widget presents technical analysis ratings through a clear speedometer-style interface, allowing you to instantly grasp the overall market trend without juggling multiple indicators. All ratings are updated in real time, ensuring you have the latest data at your fingertips. The widget incorporates a wide range of key technical indicators, including Relative Strength Index, Stochastic, Commodity Channel Index, Average Directional Index, Awesome Oscillator, Momentum, MACD, Stochastic RSI, Williams Percent Range, Bull Bear Power, Ultimate Oscillator, Exponential Moving Average, Simple Moving Average, Ichimoku Cloud Base Line, Volume Weighted Moving Average, and Hull Moving Average. Let this all-in-one solution streamline your analysis and enhance your trading decisions efficiently and effectively.

🍬 Sugar Futures

Sugar remains a valuable commodity for traders aiming to profit over the long term by understanding the key factors that influence its price and mastering its market trends. While short-term sugar price movements can be unpredictable, experienced traders capitalize on its consistent demand and long-term growth potential. As a strategically important resource worldwide, sugar plays a crucial role not only in food production but also in industries such as pharmaceuticals, canning, and chemicals. Its broad industrial applications make sugar a highly sought-after asset. Actively traded on multiple commodity exchanges, sugar’s primary trading instruments include futures contracts and options on futures, offering diverse opportunities for market participants.

One of the key contracts on the ICE is the Sugar #11 futures, traded under the ticker SB. The contract size is 112,000 pounds (50.8 tons) of raw cane sugar and serves as a benchmark in sugar trading. Much like Brent crude guides oil prices, Sugar #11 futures are the primary reference point for sugar market participants.

On the CME Group’s NYMEX, Sugar #11 futures are available under the ticker YO. This contract is cash-settled, with the same contract size of 112,000 pounds, and prices are quoted in US dollars per pound.

Another important benchmark is Sugar #16, traded mostly on the ICE (ticker SF). The contract covers 112,000 pounds (50.8 tons) of American or foreign raw cane sugar and is a delivery futures contract. Delivery ports include New York, New Orleans, Baltimore, Galveston, and Havana. Trading hours on the ICE run from 12:00 to 00:00 (GMT-4), Monday through Sunday.

In London, delivery sugar futures trade on the ICE Futures Europe exchange under the ticker W. The contract size is 50 tons, with prices quoted in US dollars per ton.

The LIFFE (London Intercontinental Futures and Options Exchange) offers White Sugar No. 407 futures, with contracts sized at 50 tons. These contracts specify a sugar moisture content not exceeding 0.06%, and a minimum color rating of 45 ICUMSA units. Deliveries are made to selected European ports listed by the exchange.

As part of ICE, LIFFE contracts are integrated into the broader ICE structure. There is no daily price change limit on these contracts.

The Zhengzhou Commodity Exchange (ZCE) trades Sugar White (SR) futures. Contracts represent 10 tons of white sugar, with a minimum price increment of 1 yuan per ton. Price changes are capped at ±4% from the previous day’s settlement. Trading hours are from 13:30 to 15:00 (GMT+8).

How to Trade Sugar on the Stock Exchange

Trading sugar on the stock exchange involves understanding market dynamics and using the right financial instruments. The primary tool for sugar trading is futures contracts, which allow traders to buy or sell sugar at a predetermined price for delivery in the future. This helps manage price risks and take advantage of market fluctuations.

To start trading sugar futures, you first need to select a reliable brokerage platform that offers access to commodity exchanges such as the ICE, CME, or ZCE. Familiarize yourself with contract specifications like lot size, delivery months, price increments, and trading hours to plan your trades effectively.

Technical analysis plays a crucial role in sugar trading. Use live charts with indicators such as Moving Averages, Relative Strength Index (RSI), and MACD to identify trends and potential entry or exit points. Combining technical signals with fundamental factors—such as weather patterns affecting harvests, global supply-demand balances, and geopolitical developments—can improve trading decisions.

Risk management is essential in sugar trading. Setting stop-loss and take-profit orders helps protect your investment from sudden price swings. Diversifying your portfolio by including sugar stocks or ETFs related to the sugar industry can also reduce risk exposure.

Finally, stay updated with market news, agricultural reports, and global economic trends that influence sugar prices. Continuous learning and adapting your strategy will increase your chances of success in sugar futures trading.

What Do Sugar Prices Depend On?

Brazil , India , China , and Thailand consistently rank as the top sugar producers and exporters worldwide, thanks largely to their favorable climates. Meanwhile, major importers include the USA , China , and Indonesia .

The price of sugar on the exchange is influenced by several key factors:

• Weather conditions, such as tropical hurricanes in the Caribbean, which can reduce supply and push prices higher;
• Economic health and political stability of major exporting countries;
• The supply and demand cycle, which governs long-term price trends.

The sugar market operates in cyclical phases:

1. Demand for sugar rises, causing prices to increase;
2. Exporters respond by expanding production, plantation areas, storage, and processing capacities;
3. Supply then outpaces demand, leading to falling prices and a contraction in plantation size and processing;
4. As consumption grows, supply-demand balances shift again, restarting the cycle.

Analyzing the sugar price chart reveals that cycle lengths vary, and occasionally, unexpected events or “black swans” disrupt the pattern. For instance, in 2022, Russia experienced a surge in sugar demand that caused prices to spike sharply, even prompting artificial price controls. However, such events are rare since a complex combination of factors must coincide to create a significant shortage. For traders, focusing on supply trends remains paramount in navigating sugar price movements.

Weather and Crop Yield

Typically, sugar production slightly exceeds consumption, which helps maintain a stable and balanced market. However, both sugar beet and sugar cane are sensitive crops with their own challenges. In years with adverse weather, yields can drop significantly, causing production to fall below consumption levels. This leads to inventory depletion and a consequent rise in sugar prices.

The two largest sugar producers by far are Brazil and India . Therefore, sugar traders closely monitor weather conditions in these countries. Other key producers include the European Union, China , Thailand , the USA , Pakistan, and Mexico. In these regions, the primary causes of crop failure are usually drought and excessive heat. For instance, in India, floods caused a significant reduction in sugar cane cultivation in 2019.

Russia also ranks among the top ten sugar producers. Sugar beet yields there are particularly sensitive to weather due to harsher natural conditions. Traders should watch for early spring frosts that affect beet planting, droughts that reduce yields, and excessive rainfall which negatively impacts the crop. Yield deviations can reach up to 25% in either direction, causing significant price fluctuations. For example, in 2019, a record harvest led to a 30% price drop, while poor harvests in 2020 and 2021 resulted in a total price increase of 75% over those two years.

Dependence on Oil Prices

At first glance, it may seem surprising, but sugar prices are strongly linked to oil prices. The explanation lies mainly with Brazil , the world’s leading sugar exporter, which also uses a large portion of its sugar cane harvest for bioethanol production. Over half of the raw sugar cane is diverted to bioethanol, amounting to millions of tons, which significantly influences the sugar market supply.

The second largest producer, India , is following the same trend, with companies steadily increasing bioethanol output. Other countries are also expanding bioethanol production as global demand for this renewable fuel grows.

When oil prices rise, it becomes more profitable for producers to allocate more sugar cane to bioethanol rather than sugar, which reduces sugar supply and drives prices upward. Additionally, transportation costs depend heavily on oil prices, further impacting sugar prices. Therefore, traders must closely monitor the oil market, including decisions by OPEC, sanctions affecting exporting nations, and other geopolitical factors.

Seasonality of Sugar Cane and Beet

Sugar from sugar cane is the dominant commodity on global exchanges, making up about 80% of total sugar production worldwide. This means that seasonal patterns in sugar cane harvesting strongly influence sugar prices.

Typically, prices decline between April and June as the sugar cane harvest is gathered, assuming the yield is good. After a modest rebound in September, prices usually drop again to seasonal lows. However, in years with poor harvests, prices often continue to rise or even accelerate in September, sometimes reaching multi-year highs. For instance, September 2021 saw a four-year peak due to reduced supply volumes from Brazil .

More commonly, prices gradually climb and peak in February, just before the new harvest begins, reflecting anticipation of tighter supply.

Useful Links for Sugar Market Analytics

• Standard economic calendar — Track the economic indicators and events impacting sugar-exporting countries.
• Agra-net (https://www.agra-net.com/agra/international-sugar-and-sweetener-report/) — A key resource specializing in the agricultural sector with extensive statistics and forecasts for the sugar industry worldwide. Essential for medium- and long-term market analysis.
• Sugaronline (https://www.sugaronline.com/) — Dedicated entirely to sugar production and market prospects, providing timely news and in-depth analysis.
• European Union reports — Comprehensive industry overviews and market data are published on the official EU site: https://ec.europa.eu/info/food-farming-fisheries/farming/facts-and-figures/markets/overviews/market-observatories/sugar_en.
• United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) — Detailed global sugar industry reviews and reports are available at https://www.fas.usda.gov/commodities/sugar.

Applications of Sugar

Sugar has established itself as an effective preservative, widely valued in food processing and storage. Granulated sugar is also commonly used by pharmacists and cosmetologists for its functional properties in various formulations.

Beyond food, sugar plays an important role in the chemical industry, contributing to the production of numerous compounds. Additionally, it is utilized in the leather and tobacco industries, where its unique characteristics are indispensable.

Despite advances in sugar substitutes, none can fully replace natural sugar, ensuring its continued demand.

Considering the ongoing growth of the global population and expanding chemical and food sectors, production and consumption of sugar are expected to rise steadily in the future, reinforcing its vital role in the global economy and markets.

Sugar is a vital commodity that plays an essential role in the global economy, extending far beyond its common use as a sweetener. It is a key raw material in numerous industries including food production, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, chemical manufacturing, leather, and tobacco. The price of sugar is influenced by a complex combination of factors such as weather conditions affecting crop yields, global supply and demand cycles, and fluctuations in oil prices due to the link between sugar cane and bioethanol production. Traders benefit from analyzing these factors alongside advanced technical analysis tools and live market data to anticipate price movements and optimize trading strategies.

Despite the rise of sugar substitutes, natural sugar remains irreplaceable in many applications, ensuring consistent demand worldwide. Major producing countries like Brazil, India, China, and Thailand dominate the market, while importers such as the USA and the European Union drive consumption trends. With a growing global population and expanding industrial sectors, the production and consumption of sugar are forecasted to increase steadily in the coming years. This makes sugar futures and related financial instruments attractive options for both novice and experienced investors looking to capitalize on market volatility and long-term trends.

Understanding the nuances of the sugar market, including seasonal patterns, geopolitical influences, and technological advancements, is crucial for making informed trading decisions. Staying updated with trusted resources and market analytics further enhances the ability to navigate this dynamic commodity market successfully.

Sugar Prices – Live Chart and Analysis FAQ 🍬📈