In the week between the Canadian Victoria Day long weekend and the US Memorial Day Holiday, construction framing dimension softwood lumber prices stayed mostly flat.
Lumber inventories in the field remained low enough that customers agreed to seller list prices for most of their purchases. Counter-offers were few as buyers often searched with multiple sources to find the wood they needed. Many felt that the price bottom had been reached, thus sentiment improved and more sales were made.
At sawmills the order files stretched to about two weeks. Where in recent weeks lumber suppliers had been calling customers to book orders, the situation was
reversed so eager buyers were reaching out to make contact for their purchases.
In the week ending May 23, 2025 the price of Western Spruce-Pine-Fir 2×4 #2&Btr KD (RL) was US$444 mfbm, which is flat from the previous week, said weekly forest products industry price guide newsletter Madison’s Lumber Reporter.
That week’s price is down -$54, or -11%, from one month ago when it was $498.
Business this week was affected by Victoria Day in Canada and the upcoming Memorial Day long weekend in the US. Demand for Spruce-Pine-Fir showed promise, while sales of Southern Yellow Pine looked rough by comparison.
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KEY TAKE-AWAYS:
- Suppliers of Western S-P-F no longer had to search for orders.
- Following the Victoria Day long weekend, prices of Western S-P-F in Canada were a bit of a mixed bag.
- The downward slide in Eastern S-P-F commodity prices seemed to all but over according to suppliers.
- Availability at the Eastern S-P-F sawmills was much tighter than buyers had gotten used to in recent weeks.
- It looked like the market was building something of a base to trade from.
- Southern Yellow Pine sawmills saw an accumulation of higher grade material.
- Treaters, typically a major source of Southern Pine takeaway at this time of year, stepped away from the market.
- Sawmill order files were prompt to two weeks out, depending on the tally.
- Stocking wholesalers reported inventory levels in the tri-state area were tightening up noticeably as no one wanted to hold excess material.
Madison’s Benchmark Top-Six Softwood Lumber and Panel Prices: Monthly Averages
