Author: kkosman

  • US New Home Sales at 999,000 Annual Rate: Oct 2020

    October 2020 US new home sales numbers are +42% higher year-over-year while the September revision indicates two consecutive months of more than 1 million sales, a feat not reached since 2006. US new home sales in October dipped -0.3% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 999,000 units last month, the Commerce Department said Wednesday.…

  • First Administrative Review (AR1) in Softwood Lumber Antidumping Duty (AD) and Countervailing Duty (CVD)

    US Commerce Dept Preliminary Ruling Significantly Lowers Canada’s Softwood Lumber Duty On February 3, 2020, the U.S. Department of Commerce released its preliminary determination for the First Administrative Review (AR1) in antidumping duty (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) investigations of imports of certain softwood lumber products from Canada. The final determination by the US Commerce…

  • US House Prices: Sept & 3Q 2020

    The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller US National Home Price NSA Index reported Tuesday a +7% annual gain in September 2020, up from +5.8% in August. Adding to pressure on home prices is the ever shrinking supply of homes for sale, already at a record low. Inventory fell to a 2.5-month supply at the end of October,…

  • As Demand Resurges Softwood Lumber Prices Recover

    Just unbelievable for this time of year and if someone had predicted it a month ago they would have been met with derisive laughter, but lumber prices were actually up last week as demand increased. This is absolutely unprecedented for the week before US Thanksgiving and sawmills simply do not have enough wood in their…

  • US House Prices: 3Q and Oct 2020

    US house prices rise by the most since 1991 as US mortgage lenders record their biggest quarter in two decades To see the latest data on softwood lumber prices and US housing starts please go here. The median price for previously owned homes has hit a new record at US$313,000, up +16% from a year…