US housing starts surged to a 13-year high at the end of 2019. Will starts increase, decrease or remain flat in 2020
Winter Precipitation Trends: Will Timber Prices be Impacted?
By John Greene
Winter weather challenges have the potential to suspend harvesting operations in every wood basket in North America. Prolonged wet weather in the South results in inoperable conditions for harvesting crews; warm winter temperatures in the Northeast and Lake States also keep crews sidelined; and while harvesters in the Pacific Northwest (PNW) can work pretty effectively through wet weather, hauling can become an issue.
Should SYP Lumber Prices Brace for Coronavirus Impacts?
By John Greene
While US housing starts dropped 3.6 percent in January, new building permits rose to a nearly 13-year high, signaling builders are optimistic about spring activity. However, the escalating sense of panic associated with the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak is wreaking havoc on markets around the world, which will eventually show up in the housing-related economic data.
Only recently have PNW log prices found some sense of equilibrium in the wake of the crash in 2018. The latest round of sawmill closures, mostly in British Columbia (BC), and continually improving housing demand in the US are working to keep lumber supplies quite tight in western North America.
Mill inventory levels are a perennial challenge in Eastern North America, a region that includes the Lake States/Central Canada and the US Northeast/Eastern Canada subregions. In fact, the seasonality of wood supply in the region is the most significant factor mills must take into consideration when planning for a consistent supply.
Wood Pulp is a Sustainable Cotton Replacement, but is it Profitable?
By Pirita Huotari
Ecological trends and concern over pollution and climate change are putting more and more pressure on the global textile market. Rated as one of the most carbon-polluting industries in the world, the textile market creates more CO2 emissions than international flights and maritime transport combined.
Pulp & Paper Business Cycles: Questions Executives Need to Ask
By Katie Mencke
How can leaders in the pulp and paper industry (PPI) predict the next trend? The next expansion? The next recovery? Which ‘crystal balls’ of predictability are better than others?
Southern Timber Prices Diverge in 4Q2019; Which Products Gained Value?
By John Greene
Southern timber prices continued to find equilibrium and largely resettled in 4Q2019. After surging in 1Q2019 due to prolonged wet-weather challenges and then sharply reversing course in 2Q, prices tapered and flattened in 3Q and 4Q.
Housing Market Demonstrates Momentum Despite January Dip
By John Greene
US housing starts dropped 3.6 percent in the first month of 2020, however new building permits rose to a nearly 13-year high, signaling that builders are optimistic about spring activity.
Sustainable Forestry and Land Retention Study Quantifies Impact for Landowners
By Forest2Market
In late 2019, the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities (“Endowment”) and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) commissioned a study to help quantify benefits derived from landowners participating in the Sustainable Forestry and African American Land Retention (SFLR) program. The study was designed to identify monetary benefits that could potentially be recognized by SFLR participants.
Total industrial production (IP) declined 0.3 percent in December (-1.0 percent YoY), as a warm-weather-induced decrease of 5.6 percent for utilities outweighed increases of 0.2 percent for manufacturing and 1.3 percent for mining. For 4Q as a whole, total IP moved down at an annual rate of 0.5 percent. Total IP contracted during seven months in 2019, the worst record since 2015.
To ensure you continue to receiving Forest2Market emails be such to add information@forest2market.com to your address book so we land in your inbox! If you received this email it is because you have expressed an interest in Forest2Market.
