A modest
pickup in sales allowed many framing lumber producers to approach
customers with a firmer stance on prices by late in the week. Even so,
softness was the overall rule, with the Random Lengths Framing Lumber
Composite Price slipping to $220, another low for the year to date and
the lowest level since 1991. The mild pickup failed to do more than
firm prices, and much of the firming came late in the week after mills
had lowered prices to generate sales.
Week
Oct 31
Week
Oct 24
Year Ago
2007
Random Lengths Framing
Lumber Composite Price*
$220
$225
$254
KD Western S-P-F #2&Btr 2x4 R/L
Mill Price
189
189
226
KD Eastern S-P-F #1&2 2x4 R/L,
delivered Great Lakes
275
284
304
Green Douglas Fir Std&Btr 2x4
R/L (Portland)
150
150
172
Southern Pine (Westside) #2 2x4 R/L
275
288
278
KD Coast Hem-Fir Std&Btr 2x4 R/L
178
183
200
Ponderosa Pine (Inland) #2&Btr
1x12 R/L
388
388
660
* Weighted
average of 15 key items
Structural
panel markets were a grind. Tepid sales left most OSB prices in a
flat-to-down mode. A few mills had prompt loads available for shipment,
but most were booked into the first two weeks of November. Southern
Pine plywood sales were often stacked toward the beginning of the week.
Mills routinely quoted sheathing near last week's published levels, but
accepted $5-20 discounts to book orders. Western Fir plywood prices
eroded, although at a slower pace than in recent weeks.
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