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Softwood Lumber Prices Stabilize, WTO Could Stall Next Week
On December 10th is the deadline for retirement of two of the three remaining Appellate Judges at the World Trade Organization, where there are currently disputes revolving around North American softwood lumber. This WTO appellate panel, which usually has seven people, now only has the legal minimum of three, until December 10. Following years of…
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Canada Railway Strike Ends, Softwood Lumber Prices Moderate Up
Thankfully the work stoppage on CN Rail ended — as of mid-day Tuesday — which was soon enough to avoid truly negative impact on Canada’s forest industry. After achieving dizzying highs in summer 2018, most standard construction framing dimension softwood lumber prices are now higher than last month and one year ago, while specialty lumber…
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US Existing Home Sales, Prices: Oct 2019
The US National Association of Realtors said Thursday that sales of existing homes in the US rose +1.9% in October 2019 to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.46 million units. That’s +4.6% higher than a year ago. US existing home sales October 2019 up +1.9% to 5.46 million units, Median existing home prices up…
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US Economy: Housing Construction 3Q 2019
US Townhouse Construction: 3Q 2019 According to US National Association of Home Builders analysis of the most recent US Census Dept data of Starts and Completions by Purpose and Design, townhouse construction may be nearing the end of its recent slowdown, showing relatively flat construction conditions for 3Q 2019. Nonetheless, townhouse construction is set for further…
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US Housing Starts & Permits Shoot Up, Canada Railway Strike Begins
An unfortunate truth of life, economics, and physics is that not all things can go up at the same time. Once up, they don’t always stay there. This is a week of mixed news: US home building activity continues to improve, but in Canada forest operators are facing work-stoppage with one of the two railways.…
