Sugar
Sugar trading is the buying and selling of sugar contracts such as futures, options and CFDs on commodity exchanges. Investors can also buy stocks in the top companies involved in the production and distribution of sugar and trade commodity ETFs. This manual will explore the factors that influence the price of sugar, major producing countries, its history and industry economics, plus trading hours. Use our list of the best sugar brokers to start trading:
Best Sugar Brokers UK
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AvaTrade is a leading forex and CFD broker, established in 2006 and regulated across 9 jurisdictions. Over 400,000 users have signed up with the broker which processes over 2 million trades each month. The firm offers multiple trading platforms, including MT4, MT5, and a proprietary WebTrader. 1250+ financial instruments are available for trading, alongside a comprehensive education center and multilingual customer support.
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Founded in 2002 in Poland, XTB now serves more than 935,000 clients. The forex and CFD broker combines a heavily regulated trading environment with an extensive selection of 5,600+ assets and a commitment to trader satisfaction, featuring an intuitive in-house platform with superb tools to support aspiring traders.
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Established in 1989, CMC Markets is a respected broker listed on the London Stock Exchange and authorized by several tier-one regulators, including the FCA, ASIC and CIRO. More than 1 million traders from around the world have signed up with the multi-award winning brokerage.
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Established in Australia in 2010, Pepperstone is a top-rated forex and CFD broker with over 400,000 clients worldwide. It offers access to 1,300+ instruments on leading platforms MT4, MT5, cTrader and TradingView, maintaining low, transparent fees. Pepperstone is also regulated by trusted authorities like the FCA, ASIC, and CySEC, ensuring a secure environment for traders at all levels.
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IC Markets is a globally recognized forex and CFD broker known for its excellent pricing, comprehensive range of trading instruments, and premium trading technology. Founded in 2007 and headquartered in Australia, the brokerage is regulated by the ASIC, CySEC and FSA, and has attracted more than 180,000 clients from over 200 countries.
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XM is a globally recognized forex and CFD broker with 10+ million clients in 190+ countries. Since 2009, this trusted broker has been known for its low fees on 1000+ instruments. XM is regulated by multiple financial bodies, including the ASIC and CySEC.
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Founded in 1999, FOREX.com is now part of StoneX, a financial services organization serving over one million customers worldwide. Regulated in the US, UK, EU, Australia and beyond, the broker offers thousands of markets, not just forex, and provides excellent pricing on cutting-edge platforms.
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eToro is a top-rated multi-asset platform which offers trading services in thousands of CFDs, stocks and cryptoassets. Launched in 2007, the brand has millions of active traders globally and is authorized by tier one regulators, including the FCA and CySEC. The brand is particularly popular for its comprehensive social trading platform. Cryptoasset investing is highly volatile and unregulated in the UK and some EU countries. No consumer protection. Tax on profits may apply. 76% of retail CFD accounts lose money.
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RoboForex is an online broker, established in 2009 and registered with the IFSC in Belize. Traders can choose from five accounts (Prime, ECN, R StocksTrader, ProCent, Pro) catering to different needs with trades from 0.01 lots and spreads from 0 pips. RoboForex has also enhanced its offering over the years, adding CFD instruments and launching its stock trading platform, plus the CopyFX system.
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InstaForex is a forex and CFD broker founded in 2010. The broker offers diverse market coverage to millions of clients, spanning traditional assets like currencies and shares, as well as other interesting opportunities such as IPOs.
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OANDA is an award-winning global broker, established in 1996. The hugely respected brand offers competitive trading accounts and serves clients from 196 countries. It remains a popular option with both beginners and experienced traders thanks to its user-friendly and sophisticated web platform, no minimum deposit and premium currency products and services. The company is also overseen by reputable regulators, including the FCA, ASIC and CIRO.
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Founded in 1974, IG is part of IG Group Holdings Plc, a publicly traded (LSE: IGG) brokerage. The brand offers spread betting, CFD and forex trading across an almost unrivalled selection of 17,000+ markets, with a range of user-friendly platforms and investing apps. For 50 years, IG has maintained its position as an industry leader, excelling in all key areas for traders.
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BlackBull is a New Zealand-based CFD broker with trading opportunities on forex, stocks, indices, commodities and cryptos. The broker supports the MetaTrader 4 and 5 platforms as well as TradingView, cTrader and a proprietary mobile app. Clients can trade with high leverage and tight spreads from 0 pips on the broker's ECN accounts.
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Founded in 2009, Vantage offers trading on 1000+ short-term CFD products to over 900,000 clients. You can trade Forex CFDs from 0.0 pips on the RAW account through TradingView, MT4 or MT5. Vantage is ASIC-regulated and client funds are segregated. Copy traders will also appreciate the range of social trading tools.
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Established in 2008 and headquartered in Israel, Plus500 is a prominent brokerage that boasts over 25 million registered traders in over 50 countries. Specializing in CFD trading, the company offers an intuitive, proprietary platform and mobile app. It maintains competitive spreads and does not charge commissions or deposit or withdrawal fees. Plus500 also continues to shine as one of the most trusted brokers with licenses from reputable regulators, including the FCA, ASIC and CySEC.
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Fusion Markets is an online broker established in 2017 and regulated by the ASIC, VFSC and FSA. It is best known for its low-cost forex and CFD trading, although its multiple account types and copy trading solutions cater to a range of traders. New clients can sign up and start trading in 3 easy steps.
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Founded in 2015, VT Markets maintains its position as a top Australian multi-asset CFD broker. With 1000+ tradeable instruments and support for the MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 platforms, this broker delivers a wide range of trading opportunities to over 200,000 clients worldwide. VT Markets is regulated by the ASIC, FSCA, and SVGFSA.
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Trade.com is a trustworthy online broker with a global presence. The broker offers 2,100+ CFDs in major markets, as well as futures, options and more. The broker offers best-in-class platforms and superior analysis tools for experienced traders. The broker is also regulated by top-tier authorities including the FCA and CySEC.
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Grand Capital is a MetaTrader broker with welcome bonuses, trading competitions and an intuitive copy trading service. Several account types and 400+ assets provide trading opportunities for various types of investors and strategies. New users can also open an account and start trading in a matter of minutes.
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IronFX is a multi-regulated forex and CFD broker founded in 2010. This award-winning firm offers 500+ markets to over 1.5 million clients across 180 countries. Traders can access various account types with competitive pricing on the MT4 platform, as well as 24/5 customer support in 30 languages.
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Ingot Brokers is a multi-regulated brokerage established in 2006. The broker offers CFD trading opportunities on 1000+ instruments including forex, stocks, indices, commodities and cryptocurrencies. The broker supports the MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 platforms and offers both raw spreads and commission-free account options.
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Dukascopy is an online broker operated by a Swiss-regulated banking group. It offers a good selection of 500+ markets, with forex, stocks, gold, ETFs, indices, bonds and cryptocurrencies available. It also offers flexible trading opportunities through the choice of CFDs or binary options. Traders will use MetaTrader 4 or a proprietary platform that is well-suited to automated trading.
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Pacific Union Prime is an FSCA and offshore-regulated multi-asset broker offering competitive fees and direct market access on forex, commodities, stocks, bonds and indices. The broker supports the popular MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 platforms and a proprietary mobile app. Fees vary by account type with no commission and spreads from 1.9 pips on the Standard account and $7 commission per lot and spreads from 0.4 pips on the Prime account.
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SimpleFX is an online broker specializing in CFD and cryptocurrency trading, with multi-currency accounts, STP execution, low pricing and no minimum deposit. Bringing innovation and gaining recognition at numerous industry events since 2014, SimpleFX now caters to retail traders from over 190 countries, boasting a client base exceeding 200,000 active users.
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Errante is a Cyprus-based and regulated forex and CFD broker with leveraged trading on multiple assets, tiered accounts including a zero-spread option, and copy trading support. The broker offers leveraged trading up to 1:30 under its CySEC-regulated branch and 1:500 from an offshore branch, and supports the MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 platforms. Errante's asset list is relatively limited but it does offer fast execution and low latency, and it is a trustworthy brand.
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ActivTrades is a UK-headquartered CFD and forex broker established in 2001. The brokerage is heavily regulated with licenses from the FCA, SCB, CSSF, BACEN & CVM and CMVM. Over 1000 CFDs are available spanning 7 asset classes. Over 93.60% of orders are executed at the requested price. ActivTraders also offers a selection of leading trading platforms, including MT4, MT5, TradingView and ActivTrader platforms.
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Established in 2005 in Australia, FP Markets is an ASIC- and CySEC-regulated broker boasting an extensive suite of tradable assets. Its Standard and Raw accounts cater to traders at every level, while it packs a punch in the tooling department, from the MetaTrader suite and intuitive TradingView to actionable trading ideas from Trading Central and AutoChartist.
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HYCM is an online broker with authorization from four international bodies including the FCA and CySEC. The broker offers short-term CFD trading on forex, shares, commodities, indices, ETFs and Bitcoin, and supports the MT4 and MT5 platforms, as well as Trading Central analysis.
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Fortrade is a multi-asset, multi-regulated broker with branches regulated by the FCA, CySEC and ASIC among others. The brand offers trading opportunities on a wide range of instruments including stocks, bonds, commodities, forex, indices, cryptocurrencies and ETFs, with competitive fees and support for MetaTrader 4 and a proprietary platform.
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Libertex is a well-known broker, established in 2012. The regulated brand has served numerous clients and is regulated by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission with license number 164/12. Libertex offers CFD trading on 250+ underlying assets, including through an innovative and user-friendly proprietary web trader platform. Choose between CFDs on forex, cryptocurrencies, commodities, stocks, indices and ETFs, which are available with tight spreads and low commissions.
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Admirals is an FCA- and ASIC-regulated broker with an excellent range of leveraged instruments, including forex, stocks, indices, ETFs, commodities, cryptos and more. The broker supports the MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5 and TradingCentral platforms. With both spread betting and CFDs available and thousands of instruments, this broker provides more flexibility than most rivals.
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Infinox is a UK-based and FCA-regulated broker that offers diverse trading products thanks to its STP and ECN account types and support for MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5 and a proprietary platform. Clients can also benefit from a free VPS that can support automated strategies and a social trading platform, catering to both beginner and seasoned traders.
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Amega is an offshore STP broker offering CFD trading on forex, stocks, indices and commodities with very high leverage up to 1:1000 and a zero-commission pricing structure. Traders access markets through the MT5 platform and can test the broker's services through a demo account.
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Capital.com offer CFDs on a range of markets with competitive spreads and zero commissions. The broker also offers the Investmate app, negative balance protection and leveraged trading.
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Trading 212 is a European and UK-regulated CFD broker that also offers stock investing and ISAs. It’s best known for its commission-free trading model and beginner-friendly app, which has helped it attract 2.5 million users and £3.5 billion in client assets.
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LegacyFX is a multi-asset broker offering an MT5 download & free signals.
Sugar Trading Basics
Sugar is one of the most widely traded commodities and is used in a variety of industries, including food and beverage production, pharmaceuticals, and biofuels.
Sugar trading is typically conducted on commodity exchanges through online brokers, such as the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) and the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX), where traders can buy and sell sugar futures. These contracts represent an agreement to buy or sell sugar at a specific price and date in the future.
The global sugar market is dynamic and volatile, due to the various factors that impact its prices, including the value of the Brazilian real and US dollar, government subsidies, and health trends.
History
Sugar has been a valued commodity for thousands of years. It is believed to have originated in the region now known as New Guinea at around 8,000 BCE. From there, it spread to Southeast Asia and India, where it was used for medicinal purposes and as a sweetener.
The sugar trade grew rapidly in the 18th and 19th centuries, as sugar consumption increased and new sources of sugar were discovered. Beet sugar, for example, became a major source of sugar in Europe. The sugar trade became a key driver of the global economy, with sugar plantations and refineries established in many countries around the world.
Today, the global sugar trade is said to be worth over $52 billion, with over 120 export and production companies in the world. Brazil is the largest producer of sugar, followed by India, Thailand, China and the United States.
The demand for sugar continues to grow, particularly in emerging economies, and the sugar trade remains an important part of the global economy.
Price Chart
Factors That Influence The Price Of Sugar
The global sugar trade is an important part of the global economy, and its price fluctuations can have significant impacts on both producers and consumers of sugar. Key factors that influence the price of sugar include:
- Supply and demand: The balance between supply and demand is one of the most important factors influencing the price of sugar. Population growth, per capita incomes, alternative sweeteners and global health concerns can all impact sugar demand.
- Weather conditions: Adverse weather conditions and natural disasters such as hurricanes and droughts can disrupt sugar production and lead to shortages, which can drive up prices.
- Government policies: This can include trade tariffs and subsidies. For example, if a government imposes a tariff on sugar imports, it can make imported sugar more expensive and increase the demand for domestic sugar.
- Currency fluctuations: If the currency of a major sugar producer, such as Brazil or Thailand, weakens relative to other currencies, this can make sugar exports more competitive and lead to increased demand and higher prices.
- Biofuel demand: Since sugar is one of the most efficient sources of biomass for biofuel production, it can be directly impacted by any fluctuations in demand.
- Global economic trends: If global economic growth is strong, it can lead to increased demand for sugar in a variety of industries which can drive up prices, and vice versa.
How To Trade Sugar
If you want to start trading sugar at online brokers, there are some key ways to invest depending on your trading preferences and risk appetite:
- Futures: Futures trading involves buying or selling sugar contracts that specify a pre-determined date and price. Futures trading allows investors to manage risks by locking in prices for future delivery. Traders can also use futures to speculate on price fluctuations.
- Options: Options trading allows investors to purchase the right to buy or sell sugar at a specified price and time. This type of trading can also be used to manage price risks and benefit from market movements. This flexibility comes at a cost, known as a premium.
- Stocks: Investing in companies involved in sugar production is challenging because most businesses are privately owned. As a result, individuals can indirectly speculate on sugar prices by trading stocks like Tootsie Roll Industries (makes confectionary), Cosan (bioethanol and sugar), and The Hershey Company (major chocolate producer).
- ETFs: Exchange-traded funds that track the price of sugar and other commodities can be bought and sold like stocks, providing investors with exposure to the sugar market without having to buy or sell actual sugar. Popular sugar ETFs include CANE (Teucrium Sugar Fund).
- CFDs: Contracts for difference allow traders to speculate on rising and falling sugar prices. The leveraged derivative is widely available at online brokers.
How To Choose Sugar Brokers
- Market access: Choose brokers that offers access to the sugar market you want to trade in, such as the ICE futures market or other commodity exchanges.
- Commission and fees: Trading sugar futures contracts typically involve paying commissions, spreads and other fees. Choose brokers with competitive fees to help minimise your trading costs. Pepperstone, for instance, offers CFDs on London sugar with a minimum spread of 1.2 and 1:10 leverage. The contract size per lot is 1 metric tonne.
- Market data and analysis: The broker’s platform should provide access to real-time sugar price quotes and charts, as well as market news and analysis. This information can help you make informed trading decisions. Popular trading platforms including MT5 and cTrader are widely offered by top brokers in the UK. For example, Admiral Markets offers access to sugar CFDs on their MT5 platform.
- Regulation: Check that the broker is licensed by a regulatory authority in the jurisdictions where they operate. In the UK, top sugar brokers are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). This ensures that the brokerage adheres to strict regulatory standards and safeguards your trading account and funds.
Strategies For Sugar Trading
When trading sugar on a stable platform, investors have access to a range of tools to facilitate different strategies.
For example, trend following allows you to identify trends in the sugar market using technical indicators such as moving averages or trend lines. These can indicate optimum conditions for when to enter and exit trades.
Mean reversion refers to identifying overbought and oversold conditions in the sugar market and trading against the prevailing trend. Technical indicators such as the relative strength index (RSI) and Bollinger bands are useful here.
If you want to implement a breakout trading strategy to identify when the price of sugar breaks out of a typical range, you can use support and resistance levels, as well as indicators for volumes and volatility.
Seasonal trading, on the other hand, might work well for those who aim to follow the seasonal patterns and trends of the sugar market. For example, the sugar market tends to be more active during the Brazilian harvest season.
Similarly, news trading involves investing based on market news and events that can affect the price of sugar, such as changes in weather conditions, government policies, or supply and demand factors. Traders may use fundamental analysis to identify news events and enter trades based on the anticipated market reaction.
Another popular strategy is spread trading, whereby you can trade the price differential between two related sugar products, such as raw sugar and refined sugar. Fundamental analysis can also be used to identify price disparities and enter trades based on the anticipated convergence of prices.
Advantages Of Sugar Trading
- Diversification: Sugar is a commodity that is not directly correlated with other assets, such as stocks and bonds, making it a source of diversification.
- Transparency: The sugar market is generally transparent, meaning that prices and market information are readily available. This transparency can make it easier for traders to make informed decisions about when to buy or sell.
- Liquidity: The sugar market is relatively liquid, meaning that there is a high volume of trading activity. This can make it easier for traders to buy and sell sugar contracts quickly and at competitive prices.
- Leverage: Sugar contracts are often traded with leverage, meaning that traders can control a large position with a relatively small amount of capital. Leverage can amplify potential profits, but it can also lead to large losses.
- Global demand: Sugar is a widely consumed commodity with a generally consistent demand in the global market. This demand can help support sugar prices.
Risks Of Sugar Trading
- Weather and supply factors: The price of sugar is affected by weather conditions, crop yields, and other supply factors that are outside of a trader’s control. These factors can create uncertainty and make it harder to run price forecasts.
- Health trends: Increasing concerns about obesity may limit demand and impact portfolios that contain sugar investments.
- Regulatory risk: Sugar trading is subject to various regulations, both in the country of origin and in the markets where it is traded. Any changes in local laws can have an impact on sugar prices and trading activity.
- Substitutes: Rising demand for sugar substitutes, including stevia and aspartame, may reduce demand for sugar and negatively impact prices.
- Volatility: The sugar market can be highly volatile, meaning that prices can fluctuate rapidly and unpredictably. Whilst volatility can create opportunities to profit, it can also increase your risk of losses.
Sugar Trading Hours
The trading hours for sugar vary depending on the exchange and the specific contract being traded. Below are the typical trading hours for the major sugar contracts:
- ICE Sugar No. 11: This is the world benchmark for raw sugar trading. Opening hours are 8:30 am to 6:30 pm GMT.
- ICE Sugar No. 16: This contract prices raw cane sugar in the United States. Trading hours are 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm GMT.
- ICE White Sugar Futures Europe: This is the global benchmark for the pricing of white sugar, and the trading hours are 8:45 am to 6:00 pm GMT.
These trading hours are subject to change, especially around holidays or during times of high volatility. Traders should check with their sugar brokers or the exchange for the most up-to-date trading hours and relevant market announcements.
Bottom Line On Sugar Trading
The sugar market is popular with traders looking to diversify their portfolios, hedge against inflation, or speculate on rising global economies. Sugar prices are influenced by various factors, including geopolitics, weather conditions, government subsidies and exchange rates.
Refer to our list of top UK brokers with sugar trading to get started.
FAQ
What Influences The Price Of Sugar?
The main factors that affect the price of sugar include weather conditions, supply and demand, government subsidies, Brazilian real and US dollar exchange rates, health trends, ethanol demand, and global economic conditions. Traders can stay up-to-date on the sugar market by following news releases, online market data and governmental websites.
How Can I Manage The Risks Of Sugar Trading?
Traders can mitigate the risks of sugar trading by using stop-loss orders and staying informed about market news and events. Traders can also invest in other commodities to diversify their portfolios.
What Are Popular Sugar Trading Strategies?
Common sugar trading strategies include trend following, mean reversion, breakout trading, seasonal trading, news trading, and spread trading. The best sugar trading brokers offer powerful platforms with a selection of technical and fundamental analysis tools to support sugar strategies.
What Are The Trading Hours For Sugar?
The trading hours for sugar vary depending on the exchange and the contract being traded. For example, typical trading hours for ICE Sugar No. 11 are 8:30 am to 6:30 pm UK time. Traders can check with sugar brokers or exchanges for the most up-to-date trading hours.
Article Sources
International Sugar Organisation (ISO)
Industrial sugar market report – Markets and Markets