London white sugar futures closed weaker after a choppy session in moderate volumes heavily influenced by NYBOT on Thursday, and traders said the outlook remained bullish on expectations of a supply deficit in 2004/05.
December settled down $0.6 at $236.5 a tonne in volume of 3,041 lots, having moved in a $238.5-235.0 range.
March ended down $0.8 at $252.2 in volume of 1,304 lots, after trading between $254.0 and $251.0.
"The London whites market tracked New York - local spec selling against trade buying," one trader said.
Volumes were light with many traders travelling to London for Friday's sugar trade dinner.
The award at an EU sugar export tender on Thursday was broadly in line with expectations, traders said.
The European Union sold 105,250 tonnes of white sugar at a maximum rebate of 45.375 euros per 100 kg at Thursday's tender, traders said.
Out of this, traders in Belgium received 50,000 tonnes, France 36,000, Germany 11,250, Netherlands 2,000 and Britain 6,000.