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U.S. & Canada lumber and panel market weekly reports

 Suppliers look toward late summer as softwood lumber prices rise
 [May 27, 2020]

Lumber and panel market weekly report ---- Week 20,  2020
By Madison's Lumber Reporter

Sawmills across North America looked toward the end of summer last week, as lumber prices continued to rise but sales volumes were unsteady. Lumber producers in the US and Canada considered this current market strength as temporary, and were already making plans for seasonal slow-downs when summer draws to a close.
Softwood lumber producers consequently pushed up their asking prices and extended sawmill order files into mid- to late-June.

Prices were nudged up every day as sawmills sold out of stock with ease, and at higher levels. Customers throughout the market were very underbought, and field inventories remained low even as many buyers abandoned their caution and tried to secure volume. Sawmill order files were into the weeks of June 15th and 22nd. Bread-and-butter sizes continued to garner consistently strong demand, while sales of 2×8 and 2×10 were also really hot. As construction in Texas was roaring, 2×4 R/L #3/Utility sold particularly well.

For the week ending May 22, 2020, the price of Western SPF 2×4 kept rising, this time up +$12, or +3 per cent, to US372 mfbm compared to the previous week when it was US$360. Prices for this benchmark construction framing dimension softwood lumber item were up +$36, or +11 per cent from one month ago. Compared to the same week in 2019 when it was US$310, this price is up +$38, or +13 per cent.



““astern stocking wholesalers reported hit-and-miss demand, while improving weather and relaxing of construction restrictions sent buyers running to yards. However, turning a profit on old, high-priced inventory remained a challenge for these secondary-suppliers of wholesale softwood lumber products.” — Madison’s Lumber Reporter

After taking major tumbles in April, last week’s Western S-P-F 2×4 price dropped by smaller amounts, this time down by -$5, or -1 per cent, relative to the 1-year rolling average price of US$377 mfbm and was down -$33, or -18 per cent, relative to the 2-year rolling average price of US$405 mfbm.

The below table is a comparison of recent highs, in June 2018, and current May 2020 benchmark dimension softwood lumber 2×4 prices compared to historical highs of 2004/05 and compared to recent lows of Sept 2015:





“Demand in both the West and the East was robust, as order files at sawmills stretched out and most prices advanced further.” — Madison’s Lumber Reporter

While continuing to make gains from the lows of April, last week’s Western S-P-F 2×4 price was down -$16, or more than -4 per cent, relative to the one year rolling average price of US$376 mfbm and was down -$48, or -12 per cent relative to the 2-year rolling average price of US$408 mfbm.

The below table is a comparison of recent highs, in June 2018, and current May 2020 benchmark dimension softwood lumber 2×4 prices compared to historical highs of 2004/05 and compared to recent lows of Sept 2015:

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