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323 posts

Ample Supply Brings a Drop in Lumber Prices

At the end of February, despite a noticeable reduction in lumber manufacturing since 4Q 2022, supply was ample enough that prices dropped significantly. A fresh round of harsh winter weather, including in southern California, brought a stop to any construction activity that might still have been going on. Noting the recent waffling of price levels, […]

Lumber Prices and Market Update: March 2023

REQUEST A SAMPLE of madison’s lumber reporter weekly data: https://madisonsreport.com/subscribe/ Check back with the Madison’s website www.madisonsreport.com often for the latest developments and updates. In the week ending March 03, 2023, the price of WSPF 2×4 #2&Btr KD (RL) was US$400 mfbm. This is down by -$17, or -4%, from the previous week when it […]

Lumber Prices Flatten as Demand Remains Weak

Ongoing harsh winter weather and ample supply of lumber inventories in the field served to keep prices stable. It seemed that only the sawmill downtime and curtailment announcements of recent weeks — and months — kept lumber prices from falling lower. The balancing act of keeping manufacturing volumes in line with demand was made even […]

US Housing Market January and Softwood Lumber Prices February: 2023

US housing starts and new home sales data has been released for January 2023, with the latest numbers showing an ongoing momentum of activity. In 2022 the US began building 1.55 million homes, just a -3% drop from full-year 2021. Single-family starts in 2022 totalled 1.01 million, down -10.6% from the previous year. Total housing […]

Random Length Lumber Futures Trading *repost*

Chicago Mercantile Exchange launched updated futures trading in August 2022 under the ticker LBR CME Group launched a new lumber futures contract on August 8, 2022. The new derivative is said to feature a more precise hedging acumen and is designed to be more accessible to producers. The new futures are now sized at 27,500 […]

Reduced Manufacturing Volumes Push Lumber Prices Up

Despite somewhat soft demand, as many customers weren’t sure where prices were going so waited to buy, lumber prices popped up again in mid-February. This due mostly to ongoing capacity restrictions, especially in the important timber supply basket of British Columbia. As the spring building season fast approaches, end-users will not be able to wait […]

Sawmill Curtailments Bring Increasing Lumber Prices

Since October 2022, quite a few sawmill operators have taken downtime and curtailments. This is normal for the time of year, as usually lumber demand slows in winter and regular maintenance needs to take place, as well as employee vacation time. Over the past few months there has been perhaps a bit more than the […]

More Lumber Price Increases on Tightened Supply

The sawmill curtailments of recent months, especially those ongoing in the western part of North America, served to bring lumber prices up slightly. At this point, levels are still somewhat below cost-of-production in the important supply basket of British Columbia — which has been roughly estimated at approximately US$500 mfbm. The strategy of reducing production, […]

US Housing Market Full-Year 2022 & Softwood Lumber Prices January 2023

Full-year 2022 US housing starts and new home sales data has been released and while the dampening effects of rising mortgage rates remain, the numbers for December show a slight uptick. In 2022 the US began building 1.55 million homes, just a -3% drop from full-year 2021. Single-family starts in 2022 totalled 1.01 million, down […]

Softwood Lumber Prices Come Up Off Seasonal Lows

January 2023 is well under way, and with it the usual seasonal large-volume buying by the big US home builders has begun. Because they want the wood needed for their projects on the ground before spring building activity, customers make their orders now to accommodate possibly extended delivery times. As such, it is usual for […]