Raw sugar prices ended easier Friday on speculative profit-taking but the sweetener is up over 60 percent from last year and the market's rally is seen spilling over into 2006 after a holiday break, brokers said.

The raw sugar market will be shut Monday for New Year. Trading resumes Tuesday.

The New York Board of Trade's benchmark March raw sugar contract slipped 0.11 cent to settle at 14.68 cents a lb, dealing from 14.60 to 14.89 cents, which matches its contract peak. May sugar shed 0.05 to 14.75 cents. Back months retreated from 0.05 to 0.08 cent. Compared to its close at the end of 2004, basis the spot daily charts, sugar rocketed up 62.39 percent from its finish of 9.04 cents on December 30, 2004.

Copyright Reuters, 2005