Lumber prices have stabilized somewhat in May. The Italian sideboard price fell slightly at the start of the second quarter (-€2/m³ for fresh 17-mm chipped sideboards), German packaging products, on the other hand, have been much more stable so far this year.

In southern Germany and Austria, spruce/fir log prices have recently been under some pressure. This was due to the more than sufficient supply rather than to the sawmills’ wish for lower prices. In April, some restrictions on supply were already imposed, and there were local calls from forest owners' associations to reduce the harvest activity. The situation is unlikely to ease noticeably in May, since the many public holidays reduce the possibilities to supply log wood to the sawmills.