Average prices of softwood sawlogs rose in Finland in May, reaching €77.28 per cubic meter for standing pine sales and €82.86 per cubic meter for spruce, according to statistics from the Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke). The average pine sawlog price increased by 1.6% month on month, while the average spruce sawlog price increased by 1.9%.

From the recent low in January, the average pine sawlog price in May was up by 5.6%, and the spruce sawlog price was up by 7.3%. Compared with the highs in June 2025, pine is still 8.0% below, and spruce is 3.4% below.

Market outlook
Some contacts have noted an acknowledgement that the market has “moved away from the peak of pricing,” with several sources saying they are beginning to feel the push for lower prices. A shift that is now showing up in June deals and early third-quarter discussions.

While seasonal slowdowns are starting to appear in several markets, particularly in the Netherlands, where a well-established summer building pause is now under way, there are concerns that this will compound demand weakness already in place rather than represent a temporary and recoverable dip.
Talks about the fourth quarter sparked greater optimism among contacts, with some expecting conditions to improve as the year closes out.

Any meaningful recovery remains conditional, however. One contact summarised their caution, stating “housing starts would need to show genuine signs of life, consumer confidence would need to improve, and the full economic effects of the war in the Middle East have yet to be fully absorbed.”

As another source noted, the market would have needed an increase in demand to shift the current dynamic. Whether that increase arrives before the year is out remains, for now, an open question.

Source: Luke