ICE’s Global Sugar Markets Hit Record Open Interest on Strong Demand for Hedging

Surpassing Previous Record Set in 2010

NEW YORK & LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--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. That depth of engagement is reflected in positioning in our raw and white sugar markets, driving open interest to levels not seen since 2010.”

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.

About Intercontinental Exchange

Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (NYSE: ICE) is a Fortune 500 company that designs, builds, and operates digital networks that connect people to opportunity. We provide financial technology and data services across major asset classes helping our customers access mission-critical workflow tools that increase transparency and efficiency. ICE’s futures, equity, and options exchanges -- including the New York Stock Exchange -- and clearing houses help people invest, raise capital and manage risk. We offer some of the world’s largest markets to trade and clear energy and environmental products. Our fixed income, data services and execution capabilities provide information, analytics and platforms that help our customers streamline processes and capitalize on opportunities. At ICE Mortgage Technology, we are transforming U.S. housing finance, from initial consumer engagement through loan production, closing, registration and the long-term servicing relationship. Together, ICE transforms, streamlines, and automates industries to connect our customers to opportunity.

Trademarks of ICE and/or its affiliates include Intercontinental Exchange, ICE, ICE block design, NYSE and New York Stock Exchange. Information regarding additional trademarks and intellectual property rights of Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. and/or its affiliates is located here. Key Information Documents for certain products covered by the EU Packaged Retail and Insurance-based Investment Products Regulation can be accessed on the relevant exchange website under the heading “Key Information Documents (KIDS).”

Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 -- Statements in this press release regarding ICE's business that are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" that involve risks and uncertainties. For a discussion of additional risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see ICE's Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings, including, but not limited to, the risk factors in ICE's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025, as filed with the SEC on February 5, 2026.

Category: Exchanges