Excerpts from the 2Q 2013 issue of the Wood Resource Quarterly (www.woodprices.com)
The Global Sawlog Price Index (GSPI) increased for the fourth consecutive quarter.
Hardwood Wood Fiber Price Index (HFPI) has fallen every quarter for two years with one exception. In the 2Q/13, the HFPI was 3.1% lower than the previous quarter and 14.8 % below the all-time high.
The Softwood Wood Fiber Price Index (SFPI) was also down in the 2Q/13, but the decline over the past two years has been less dramatic than that of HFPI.
Higher demand for pulp added upward pressure on prices of both softwood pulp (NBSK) and hardwood pulp (BHK) during the 2Q/13
North American lumber production was up 7.5 % during the first five months of 2013.
After the sharp increase in US lumber prices in 2012 and early 2013, Douglas-fir and spruce-pine-fir (SPF) prices fell from their ten-year peak in January.
The trend of sawmills in the Nordic countries diversifying their geographical customer base has continued in 2013.
Importation of lumber to China has grown at a faster pace than that of log imports.
Lumber prices in Japan had trended downward during much of 2012 and early 2013 but suddenly turned around late in the 2Q/13.
US South pellet export volumes to Europe resumed their double-digit growth after a brief pause in the fourth quarter of 2012.
The full news update can be found here…
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Hakan Ekstrom Wood Resources International LLC Seattle, USA
