Check back with the Madison’s website www.madisonsreport.com often for the latest developments and updates. In the week ending March 1 2024, the price of benchmark softwood lumber item Western Spruce-Pine-Fir 2×4 #2&Btr KD (RL) was US$452 mfbm, which is up by +$10, or +2%, from the previous week when it was $442. This is up…

Actual sales of construction framing dimension softwood lumber did improve at the end of February, even as prices remained flat. Suppliers fielded good volumes of calls, many of which followed through to actual sales. Customers dropped their recent habits of buying only the wood absolutely needed for ongoing projects. As the first signs of spring…

Customers remained cautious as the effects of ongoing winter weather kept construction activity low. Sellers warned of looming supply shortages in the future if everyone held off buying until they absolutely needed the wood. Sawmills and wholesalers alike were generally fielding orders highly-specified mixed loads. The large-volume, bulk purchases which usually signal the spring building…

Lumber sales remained muted into mid-February, as it seemed like many buyers were waiting on the sidelines to see what everyone else was doing. Inquiry at sawmills was good, however there was not yet much follow-through with actual sales. The forest products manufacturing industry was poised for the next home building season, but since that…

Steady take-a-way amid normal seasonally slow demand was the name of the game for January 2024 North American construction framing dimension softwood lumber sales. Prices remained essentially flat, providing much-needed stability for both the forest products manufacturing industry and home builders alike. Expectations for reasonably good housing starts numbers this year are widely acknowledged. The…