Trading was steady by most accounts, with Wednesday providing the biggest push for many producers. A pull-back in confidence Thursday with a drop in futures was widely noted, but prices of most framing lumber species posted scattered increases for the week. Producers in Western Canada and the West had a better week of sales than their Eastern S-P-F and Southern Pine counterparts. Studs and narrow dimension were the primary focus, while the wide widths were mostly laggards.

	Week Mar 11	Week Mar 4	Year Ago 2010
Random Lengths Framing Lumber Composite Price*	$296	$295	$307
KD Western S-P-F #2&Btr 2x4 R/L Mill Price	299	294	280
KD Eastern S-P-F #1&2 2x4 R/L, delivered Great Lakes	385	386	353
Green Douglas Fir Std&Btr 2x4 R/L (Portland)	277	270	230
Southern Pine (Westside) #2 2x4 R/L	290	296	345
KD Coast Hem-Fir Std&Btr 2x4 R/L	305	300	277
Ponderosa Pine (Inland) #2&Btr 1x12 R/L	620	600	750
* Weighted average of 15 key items

Panel market
Structural panel markets stumbled through a difficult week. Sales of OSB remained dull, and prices were mostly flat to down. While supplies in the distribution pipeline were at bare-bones levels, dealers kept their purchases on a hand-to-mouth basis. Southern Pine plywood buyers were on the sidelines much of the week, selling from their inventories. Meanwhile, producers fell back on order files that were at least into the week of March 21. Higher resin costs squeezed western Fir plywood producers, who rejected even modest counters and ultimately sold very little.

　

(f.o.b. mill prices)	Week Mar 11	Week Mar 4	Year Ago 2010
Random Lengths Structural Panel Composite Price*	$291	$291	$334
Southern (west-east) 15/32-inch 3-ply exterior sheathing plywood	310-325	305-320	350-355
Southern (west-east) 15/32-inch 4-ply exterior sheathing plywood	310-340	305-335	358-385
Western 1/2-inch 4-ply exterior sheathing plywood	305	308	345
North Central 7/16-inch Oriented Strand Board	187	190	227
*Weighted average of 11 key items

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