RISI Crow's Market Recap
Crow’s Market Recap: A condensed recap of the market conditions for the major North American softwood lumber and panel products as reported in Crow’s Weekly Market Report.
Lumber: Eastern SPF producers were most prone to discounting while longer lead times in the West prompted those producers to maintain quotes. Rolling railcar volumes at discounts created a two-tiered market. Buyers waited to see how the gap between futures and cash plays out before September’s contract expires next week.
Southern Pine sales activity was sluggish, leading to moderately greater price weakness. Mill order files eroded a bit, providing buyers with improved availability. Traders laid some blame for slow trading on the extended holiday weekend and Tropical Storm Gordon’s heavy rains. Light Coastal species sales placed more pressure on producers to sell volumes. Liquidity remained, but producers discounted slower selling items. Traders perceived a lagging futures market playing a role in limited buyer participation.
Inland lumber trading had a modest tone, muted to some extent by buyers controlling their order placement. Even so, Fir-Larch prices showed some strength, especially the narrows. Some Hem-Fir tended to lag. Stud pricing was flat to down $5-10 in most instances as mills experienced sluggish trading. Buyers digested prior purchases and bought limited volumes, forcing producers to lower quotes.
Ponderosa Pine industrial lumber prices continued to hold firmly to established levels, both Mldg&Btr and Shop. Number 2 Shop was reported active for window manufacturers. Plenty of #3 Shop and P99 were available, but any discounting was a proprietary matter. Ponderosa Pine Selects and Commons remained active but not overly energetic. Selects were solid at current levels. Common boards were most active in #2, with #3 and #4 finding homes among various millwork plants and exporters.
Western Red Cedar distributors approached the market conservatively while dealers purchased hand-to-mouth. Producers experienced little change in sales activity. Good weather persisted in most consuming regions. Buyers looked to negotiate prices, seeing some spotty deals in tight knot items.
A price index of lumber and panels used in actual construction for Sept. 7, 2018.
Western: regional species perimeter foundation
Southern: regional species slab construction
Panels: OSB activity was slow this week, especially at the mill level. A source described markets in “total holiday mode,” although a pickup in action was expected as inventories run down. Tropical rains in the South slowed job activity.
Southern Pine sales were lackluster. Producers reported sales volumes close to or equivalent to the week’s production, granting it was a short week. The focus on maintaining order files, now extending out in the weeks of September 17 to 24, aided in keeping prices from edging higher. Traders kept an eye on storms, led by Hurricane Florence in the Atlantic.
Eroding order files prompted some Western Fir plywood producers to seek sheathing sales at lower price levels. Other producers with order files stretching into the week of September 17 reported steady quotes and limited sales. Buyers were cautious, seeing prices weaken, but yard inventories dictated that many buyers continue to purchase at least conservative volumes.
Markets for Canadian plywood had another quiet week. Some discounting was reported to move files. Sales to the US helped prop mills, while no US panel moved north due to tariffs. Particleboard and MDF producers reported a “busy” sales week, enabling them to maintain solid order files. TFL order files also held up well. Some allocating of particleboard was noted. Maintenance at some mills, which will extend through September, limited supplies.
Lumber: Eastern SPF producers were most prone to discounting while longer lead times in the West prompted those producers to maintain quotes. Rolling railcar volumes at discounts created a two-tiered market. Buyers waited to see how the gap between futures and cash plays out before September’s contract expires next week.
Southern Pine sales activity was sluggish, leading to moderately greater price weakness. Mill order files eroded a bit, providing buyers with improved availability. Traders laid some blame for slow trading on the extended holiday weekend and Tropical Storm Gordon’s heavy rains. Light Coastal species sales placed more pressure on producers to sell volumes. Liquidity remained, but producers discounted slower selling items. Traders perceived a lagging futures market playing a role in limited buyer participation.
Inland lumber trading had a modest tone, muted to some extent by buyers controlling their order placement. Even so, Fir-Larch prices showed some strength, especially the narrows. Some Hem-Fir tended to lag. Stud pricing was flat to down $5-10 in most instances as mills experienced sluggish trading. Buyers digested prior purchases and bought limited volumes, forcing producers to lower quotes.
Ponderosa Pine industrial lumber prices continued to hold firmly to established levels, both Mldg&Btr and Shop. Number 2 Shop was reported active for window manufacturers. Plenty of #3 Shop and P99 were available, but any discounting was a proprietary matter. Ponderosa Pine Selects and Commons remained active but not overly energetic. Selects were solid at current levels. Common boards were most active in #2, with #3 and #4 finding homes among various millwork plants and exporters.
Western Red Cedar distributors approached the market conservatively while dealers purchased hand-to-mouth. Producers experienced little change in sales activity. Good weather persisted in most consuming regions. Buyers looked to negotiate prices, seeing some spotty deals in tight knot items.
A price index of lumber and panels used in actual construction for Sept. 7, 2018.
Western: regional species perimeter foundation
Southern: regional species slab construction
Panels: OSB activity was slow this week, especially at the mill level. A source described markets in “total holiday mode,” although a pickup in action was expected as inventories run down. Tropical rains in the South slowed job activity.
Southern Pine sales were lackluster. Producers reported sales volumes close to or equivalent to the week’s production, granting it was a short week. The focus on maintaining order files, now extending out in the weeks of September 17 to 24, aided in keeping prices from edging higher. Traders kept an eye on storms, led by Hurricane Florence in the Atlantic.
Eroding order files prompted some Western Fir plywood producers to seek sheathing sales at lower price levels. Other producers with order files stretching into the week of September 17 reported steady quotes and limited sales. Buyers were cautious, seeing prices weaken, but yard inventories dictated that many buyers continue to purchase at least conservative volumes.
Markets for Canadian plywood had another quiet week. Some discounting was reported to move files. Sales to the US helped prop mills, while no US panel moved north due to tariffs. Particleboard and MDF producers reported a “busy” sales week, enabling them to maintain solid order files. TFL order files also held up well. Some allocating of particleboard was noted. Maintenance at some mills, which will extend through September, limited supplies.