Canadian and US construction framing dimension softwood lumber prices generally stayed firm last week, while panel prices corrected upward by a noticeable margin. In dimension lumber, benchmark commodity Western Spruce-Pine-Fir KD 2×4 #2&Btr reversed huge drops into the end of 2018 to close last week at US$338 mfbm, a $10 or 3% pop from the week before. The lumber futures contract on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange confirms this price level: on the Jan 15 contract, futures closed up-limit ($15) at…

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In 2017, China imported US$8.83 billion of total lumber products from the United States, according to the World Bank. However, 2018 saw China impose a 10% retaliatory tariff on US lumber products and threatened a larger 25% tariff on US$60 billion of total US goods, said Freight Waves Freight Waves Tuesday. The United States has cultivated a strong export market for lumber products in China. Prior to the escalating trade war, the American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC) stated that the…

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The International Code Council (ICC) December 21 released the unofficial voting results on US building code change proposals considered in 2018, including passage of the entire package of 14 tall mass timber code change proposals, clearing the way for their inclusion in the 2021 International Building Code (IBC). Taken together, the 14 tall mass timber code change proposals create three new types of construction in the United States, setting fire safety requirements and allowable heights, areas, and number of stories…

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US #softwood #lumber production in October recovered from sharp drops in September data, leaping by +14% compared to the month prior and popping +4% from October 2018, according to statistics from the Western Wood Products Association’s Lumber Track, released Monday. US lumber production totalled 3,119 million board feet (MMBF) in October compared to 2,737 MMBF in September. For the first ten months of 2018, US lumber production totalled 29,760 MMBF, showing a similar increase to the previous time period at…

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As 2019 softwood lumber selling resumed following the holiday break, prices of quite a few standard construction framing dimension lumber commodities remained flat while others popped up or dropped down slightly depending in supply and customer inventories in the field. Producers and resellers received plenty of calls for inquiry, but booked much fewer sales as buyers chose to sit back and wait for prices to drop before committing to more purchases. Order files at most sawmills were approximately two weeks,…

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By Kéta Kosman, Publisher and Editor, Madison’s Lumber Reporter January 10, 2019 OVERVIEW: Year-End Arrived as North American Forest Industry Closed 2018 Smoothly The wacky year of 2018 ended smoothly for North American forestry operators, as the usual seasonal curtailments, maintenance shutdowns, and inventory control took place at the end of December 2018. Prices on most construction framing softwood lumber commodities stayed at from the previous week, or moderated downward slightly. Most players were prepared for the end of the…

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In data released just Thursday, railway carloads of forest products in Canada are down somewhat in October 2018 compared to one year ago. US data, meanwhile, out for full-year 2018, also shows a decrease in forest products moving on railways. Both countries had substantial reductions in 2018 from 2016 volumes of railway carloadings for wood and forest products.In the US, volumes of forest products transported by railways for full-year 2018 were down 289 carloads compared to the previous year, at…

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NORTH AMERICA LUMBER MARKET OVERVIEW: Dec 2018 This wacky year ended smoothly for North American forestry operators, as the usual seasonal curtailments, maintenance shutdowns, and inventory control took place at the end of December 2018. Prices on most construction framing softwood lumber commodities stayed flat from the previous week, or moderated downward slightly. Most players were prepared for the end of the year so desks and yards were well vacated even before the end of the final week. As always,…

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Watching inventory helps understand the housing market: US housing for sale inventory, on a national basis, was up +2.8% year-over-year (YoY) in October, this was the third consecutive YoY increase, following over three years of YoY declines, explained Calculated Risk Tuesday. Elsewhere, Zillow data shows the number of available homes increased by +3% year-over-year, making it easier for someone to buy a home. Over the last three years, buyers in the most popular markets have been frustrated by a lack…

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EUS existing-home sales increased in November, according to the National Association of Realtors® Wednesday, marking two consecutive months of increases. Three of four major US regions saw gains in sales activity last month. Total existing-home sales, completed transactions that include single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops, increased +1.9% from October to a seasonally adjusted rate of 5.32 million in November. Sales are now down -7.0%from a year ago (5.72 million in November 2017).The first-time buyer share slightly rose to 33% from…

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