I'm LongbridgeAI, I can summarize articles.ICE announced that its global sugar markets hit record open interest of over 2.3 million contracts on August 14, 2026, a 43% year-over-year increase driven by shifting supply-demand balances and El Niño forecasts. This surge reflects heightened hedging activity across the sugar complex. Additionally, open interest in ICE's broader agricultural commodities rose significantly year-over-year. Despite this market activity, ICE shares dipped slightly to $155.97.
Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (NYSE: ICE), one of the world's leading providers of financial market technology and data powering global capital markets, today announced that ICE’s global sugar markets hit record open interest (OI) of over 2.3 million contracts on August 14, 2026, up 43% year-over-year, surpassing the previous record set in February 2010.
This record was driven by activity across ICE Sugar No. 11®, the global benchmark for raw cane sugar, with record OI of 2.2 million, and ICE White Sugar, the benchmark for refined sugar, with record OI of 188,000 contracts. Together, they underpin price discovery across the entire sugar supply chain, serving producers, refiners, traders and end-users worldwide.
“ICE's global sugar complex has just recorded its highest open interest in over 15 years, driven by evolving market fundamentals,” said Matthew Ryan, Senior Director of Soft Commodities at ICE. “Supply and demand balances are shifting, a strong El Niño forecast through January 2027 is weighing on supply outlooks, and uncertainty around some of the world's largest producing regions is prompting participants to hedge across the curve.”
ICE is home to the global price benchmarks for Sugar, Cocoa, Coffee, Cotton, Canola and Frozen Concentrated Orange Juice. OI across the complex is up 46% year-over-year with Cocoa up 65%, Cotton up 76%, Canola up 68% and Coffee up 8%. Meanwhile, average daily volume across the agricultural complex is up 28% year-to-date.
ICE shares dipped 13 cents to $155.97.