Sales in most framing lumber species slowed toward the end of last week. But mills maintained leverage with order files through the month and the supply side limited by maintenance and market-related production curtailments. Many prices moved higher, but the bulk of the gains came earlier in the week on momentum carrying over from last week's action. The Random Lengths Framing Lumber Composite Price rose to $311, nearing the $316 trigger point at which the tax on Canadian shipments to the U.S. would decline if the market were to sustain that level for several weeks.







Panel market

Structural panel sales gained momentum, and the OSB market went on a tear. Light inventories left buyers with little cushion when Tolko announced sharp production cutbacks at its mills in High Prairie, Alberta, and Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan. Southern Pine plywood markets mirrored the trading patterns of the last several weeks. Producers extended order files about a week. In western Fir plywood, an imbalance between production and consumption remained tilted in the mills' favor.