North American lumber industry struggles with closures, tariffs and post-pandemic demand shift

Trading in most markets stalled after Wednesday’s announcement that lumber imports from Canada would be exempt from the newly imposed tariffs by the Trump administration. The most notable immediate impact was seen in lumber futures, where prices tumbled more than $50 on Thursday. In most physical markets, prices adjusted mildly in both directions. While digesting […]

The tariff drama as President Trump enters his second term of office has occupied much of the energy of financial markets and business leaders. The 25% levies on all goods from Canada and Mexico implemented on March 4 are sending ripple effects throughout the entire forest products industry, given the level of industry integration and […]

What is Southern Yellow Pine, and how is it different from other softwood lumber grades? Southern Yellow Pine (SYP) is a species of softwood lumber that shares many characteristics with other Western species of lumber that have traditionally dominated the lumber market, but the market has some key unique features. SYP trees grow across the […]

Read more about the new Fastmarkets-settled Southern Yellow Pine contract to launch at CME Group

The perpetually moving target of tariffs on Canadian lumber shipments to the US frustrated traders and had broad impacts on sales in many species. Despite middling demand, the threat of tariffs combined with relatively tight supplies left many prices higher for the week. The delay in announcement of preliminary AD rates by the Commerce Department […]

As we frequently remind our readers, the future is uncertain, and market conditions can change rapidly, particularly in light of ongoing tariff discussions. Currently, the US has delayed imposing tariffs on Canada and Mexico by one month. For now, we are assuming those tariffs will not take effect – and that China’s tariffs will. With […]

Traders reported some of the strongest activity of the year to date in many species, with prices firming or moving higher in most regions. The stronger pace of sales emerged despite adverse weather conditions across many parts of the continent and stubbornly elevated mortgage interest rates. The Random Lengths Framing Lumber Composite Price finished $9 […]

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