Author: kkosman

  • US House Prices vs. Softwood Lumber Prices: Dec 2019

    Median US House Sales Price vs Benchmark North American Construction Framing Dimension Softwood Lumber Prices: 3Q 2019 US house prices rose in 3Q 2019, up +1.1 per cent according to the US Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index (HPI), released November 26. House prices in the US rose +4.9 per cent from 3Q…

  • New NAFTA Deal Signed, Softwood Lumber Prices Hold Steady

    A significant uncertainty for North American business owners was resolved Tuesday as Canada, the US, and Mexico signed the new trilateral trade agreement, the CUSMA. Full details will be revealed soon, and the new deal will take effect January 1, 2020. Also this week the Western Wood Products Association released its latest monthly Lumber Track…

  • Canada/US/Mexico Free Trade Deal Signed

    The United States and Mexico have confirmed an agreement has been reached on a new North American free trade deal. U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in Washington Tuesday morning that congressional Democrats were supportive of the changes. Ways and Means Committee Chair Richard Neal said completion of the deal came after a round of…

  • North America Softwood Lumber Production, Sawmill Capacity Utilization, WWPA: Sept 2019

    Continuing flat, as last month, the latest issue of the Western Wood Products Association’s monthly Lumber Track, for January-September 2019, shows US softwood lumber production volume still basically flat from from the same time last year, to 26,616 mmfbm. Like last month, January – September softwood lumber production in Canada continued big drops since the…

  • Looking Forward to 2020: Global Forest Industry

    This year is not over yet, but it has been one of a never-before combination of circumstances. Dire circumstances. Storms, floods, fires, in residential areas and in the forest. Adjusting to the new economics of the business of making and selling lumber has not been easy. The economic reality of the condition of the harvestable…