Sugar futures prices saw a decline of over 1% on both the New York and London stock exchanges on January 5, despite a temporary increase earlier in the day. The drop is attributed to the anticipated harvest season and fuel issues in Brazil. The most traded raw sugar contract in New York fell by 1.02%, quote at 19.34 cents/lb, while in London, the first contract decreased by 1.55%, to US$ 534.70 a tonne. The market's downward trend was exacerbated by expectations of a large sugar crop in Brazil, prompted by favorable weather conditions, and concerns over the potential impact of extended federal fuel tax exemptions on biofuel competitiveness. These factors have contributed to a decline in domestic Brazilian sugar prices.