Might NY world sugar #11 (SBK26) on Thursday closed up +0.32 (+2.06%), and Might London ICE white sugar #5 (SWK26) closed up +5.60 (+1.23%).
Sugar costs rallied sharply on Thursday, with NY sugar posting a 5.5-month excessive. Sugar costs rallied in sympathy with Thursday’s +4% surge in crude oil costs (CLK26). The energy in crude costs boosts ethanol costs and should encourage the world’s sugar mills to extend ethanol manufacturing and curb sugar output.
Sugar costs even have some help amid provide disruptions from the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. In line with Covrig Analytics, the closure of the strait has curbed roughly 6% of the world’s sugar commerce, constraining refined sugar output.
Earlier this month, sugar costs plunged to five.5-year nearest-futures lows on concern {that a} international sugar surplus will persist. On February 11, analysts from sugar dealer Czarnikow stated they anticipate a world sugar surplus of three.4 MMT within the 2026/27 crop yr, following an 8.3 MMT surplus in 2025/26. Additionally, Inexperienced Pool Commodity Specialists stated on January 29 that they anticipate a 2.74 MMT international sugar surplus for 2025/26 and a 156,000 MT surplus for 2026/27. In the meantime, StoneX stated February 13 that it expects a world sugar surplus of two.9 MMT in 2025/26.
The Worldwide Sugar Group (ISO) on February 27 forecasted a +1.22 MMT (million metric ton) sugar surplus in 2025-26, following a -3.46 MMT deficit in 2024-25. ISO stated the excess is being pushed by elevated sugar manufacturing in India, Thailand, and Pakistan. ISO is forecasting a +3.0% y/y rise in international sugar manufacturing to 181.3 million MMT in 2025-26.
Indicators of decrease sugar output in Brazil are supportive of sugar costs, after Unica on February 18 reported that sugar manufacturing in Brazil’s Middle-South within the second half of January fell by -36% y/y to solely 5,000 MT. Nonetheless, cumulative 2025-26 Middle-South sugar output by January rose +0.9% y/y to 40.24 MMT.
The Indian Sugar and Bio-energy Producers Affiliation (ISMA) reported final Tuesday that India’s 2025-26 sugar output from Oct 1-Mar 15 was up +10.5% y/y to 26.2 MMT. On March 11, the ISMA projected India’s 2025/26 sugar manufacturing at 29.3 MMT, up 12% y/y, under an earlier projection of 30.95 MMT. The ISMA additionally reduce its estimate for sugar used for ethanol manufacturing in India to three.4 MMT from a July forecast of 5 MMT, which can enable India to spice up its sugar exports. India is the world’s second-largest sugar producer.