Even As True Spring Weather Dawned Across North America The Sawmill
Operators Had To Actively Hunt For Customers.
Sales of solid wood construction framing materials remained slow despite
home building season having arrived. The prevalent attitude was to
“wait-and-see”, to discover if there was potential for lumber prices to drop
further.
Lumber producers and wholesalers alike warned customers that continuing to
keep such lean inventories could become a problem; should there be a sudden
pop of sales prices could spike. However temporarily. Perhaps more
important; delivery times could be much delayed as transportation has been
quite a difficulty since the start of this year.
Regardless, the prevalent sense of caution among lumber buyers outweighed
the potential danger of being caught short of inventory.
In the week ending May 2, 2025, the price of benchmark softwood lumber item
Western Spruce-Pine-Fir 2×4 #2&Btr KD (RL) was US$460 mfbm. This is down
-$10, or -2%, from the previous week when it was $470, said weekly forest
products industry price guide newsletter Madison’s Lumber Reporter.
That week’s price is down -$38, or -8%, from one month ago when it was $498.
Compared To The Same Week Last Year, When It Was Us$408 Mfbm, The Price Of
Western Spruce-Pine-Fir 2×4 #2&Btr Kd (Rl) For The Week Ending May 2, 2025
Was Up +$52, Or +15%.
Compared To Two Years Ago When It Was $360, That Week’S Price Was Up +$100,
Or +31%.
KEY TAKE-AWAYS:
Western S-P-F sawmills in the US worked to move accumulated inventory amid
atypically sluggish demand.
Overall consumption was still well below seasonal norms.
Buyers were more cautious, unwilling to commit to long-term coverage.
There was increasing pressure on suppliers to move stock at lower prices.
Sales of Western S-P-F in Canada remained sloppy; as supply of most items
was ample, sawmills were open to counter offers.
Eastern S-P-F sawmills cleaned up much of their accumulated material, but
commodity prices continued to erode.
Purchasers held off wherever they didn’t need coverage, mills often fell
short of their established daily sales allotments.
Southern Yellow Pine price spreads between geographical zones continued to
widen.
MADISON’S BENCHMARK TOP-SIX SOFTWOOD LUMBER AND PANEL PRICES: MONTHLY
AVERAGES
Source:
madisonsreport.com
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