Author: Madison’s Lumber Reporter

  • US Housing Starts: July 2015

    US home building ticked up in July thanks to a surge in construction of single-family homes. US housing starts rose 0.2 per cent from a month earlier to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.21 million last month, the highest since October 2007, the Commerce Department said Tuesday. That is the third time in four…

  • US Home Sales, July

    A forward-looking gauge of US home purchases slipped in June, after hitting its highest level in more than nine years in May, the National Association of Realtors said last month. A separate report from the industry group showed sales of previously owned homes increased 3.2 per cent in June to a seasonally adjusted annual rate…

  • US Leading Economic Index: July 2015

    The index of US leading economic indicators unexpectedly declined in July, depressed by a slump in building permits that mainly reflected a proposed change in a New York tax credit. The Conference Board’s gauge, a measure of the outlook for the next three to six months, decreased 0.2 per cent after rising 0.6 per cent…

  • Russian Group Increases Timber Cut

    In the first half year north Russian Sawmill 25 Group increased roundwood cutting at its three sawmill locations by 7 per cent to 558,000 cubic metres, according to EUWID Thursday. Lumber production, in the process of which 168,600 cubic metres, or 10 per cent, more wood chips were produced, was 6 per cent above last…

  • Wildfires, Water Restrictions: Western North America

    This week the most tragic occurrence of three wildfire firefighter deaths in Washington State brings into focus the importance and severity of this extended very dry season in northwestern North America. In addition, natural resource extraction operators in northern British Columbia and Alberta have been forced to cease operating due to water supply restrictions. Severe…