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Softwood Lumber Prices Slide Downward as More Sawmill Closures are Announced
Confusion reigned only more last week in the North America construction framing dimension softwood lumber market as demand was very soft for what is normally the big home building season in the US. This week major producers announced further permanent closures and curtailments for British Columbia sawmills; due both to high log costs while lumber…
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US Spending on Residential Improvements: March 2019
According to the US National Association of Home Builders, Americans spend more than US$200 billion on home improvements each year. The most recent data from Construction Spending showed that spending on residential improvements fell to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of US$173 billion in March 2019, down by -3.1% over February estimate, and was -14.1% lower than a year…
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Madison’s Lumber RETROspective: 1952-1973
This weekend Madison’s was contacted on FaceBook by one of founder Peter Madison’s children. His youngest daughter found an old copy of the printed Madison’s Canadian Lumber Directory and sent us this photo: As we exchanged happy messages (Hi June! — ed) it occurred to Madison’s that we haven’t been promoting the fun Madison’s Lumber…
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US House Prices: March 2019
US home prices rose at the slowest pace in more than six years in March, a sign weaker sales are keeping a lid on price increases. The Case-Shiller US National Home Price Index, reported Tuesday by S&P Dow Jones Indices, rose at a seasonally adjusted annual growth rate of +3.2% in March, following an increase of…
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British Columbia Sawmill Curtailment & Timber Supply Update: June 2019
As the home building and construction season for 2019 marches on, seasoned players in the production, sale, and purchase of North American softwood dimension lumber products are surprised at the very low demand for solid wood commodities. Relentlessly dropping lumber prices — admittedly from soaring highs one year ago — since the end of 2018…
