Global Softwood Lumber Prices Rose in Early 2017 with Prices in North America Hitting a 13-year High and Chinese Prices Increasing 13% in 18 Months - Seite 2

Lumber market – Japan

Total housing starts were up 3.2% in Japan in the 1Q/17 as compared to the same quarter in 2016, and the economic outlook for the coming year is slightly more optimistic than that for last year.

Prices for domestic and imported lumber have remained practically unchanged for almost a year in Yen terms. With the Yen strengthening against the US dollar during the first four months of 2017, lumber prices have increased so far this year in US dollar terms.

Lumber market – Russia

After a substantial decline in softwood lumber export prices during 2014 and 2015, Russian lumber prices have trended upward for most of 2016 and early 2017. Average export prices in March 2017 were 12% higher than in the same month last year, and prices for wood going to China have gone up even faster over the same time-period.

Export volumes to China in the 1Q/17 were unchanged from the previous quarter, holding steady at the second highest level on record.

Global lumber, sawlog and pulpwood market reporting is included in the 52-page quarterly publication Wood Resource Quarterly (WRQ). The report, which was established in 1988 and has subscribers in over 30 countries, tracks sawlog, pulpwood, wood chip, lumber and pellet prices, trade and market developments in most key regions around the world. To subscribe to the WRQ, please go to www.woodprices.com

CONTACT:

Wood Resources International LLC
Hakan Ekstrom
[e-mail]
www.woodprices.com

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Global softwood lumber prices trended upward in early 2017