US MIDDAY: sugar near two-week low on speculative fund sales

Raw sugar futures finished Thursday near a two-week low on speculative fund sales and the market may slip given the sweetener's poor performance this week, brokers said. The New York Board of Trade's July raw sugar contract dove 0.26 cent or 3.06 percent to close at 8.23 cents a lb, dealing from 8.22 to 8.43 cents. It was the lowest close on a spot basis for sugar since ending at 8.18 cents on April 18. October tumbled 0.25 to 8.25 cents. Back months lost 0.18 or 0.20 cent. Market fundamentals are a mixed bag, analysts said.