Pricing Rationale: NBSK CIF China

Nordic NBSK slipped $30-50/tonne this week in China, following a major supplier cutting the grade’s list price by $50/tonne, bringing the level to $880/tonne. Canadian NBSK stayed flat at $860-870/tonne. The mid-point NBSK price comes to $858/tonne, down $20/t from last week, according to transaction data and deals heard reported to Fastmarkets RISI.

A supplier offered Canadian NBSK at $880-890/tonne, but the proposal was brushed aside by customers as too high.

Other seller contacts said that unless pulp futures prices on the Shanghai Futures Exchange climb to the level that can crack open arbitrage opportunities, it will be difficult to see NBSK prices increase, as fundamental demand remains weak.