Market Recap: RISI Crow's Construction Materials Cost Index

A price index of lumber and panels used in actual construction for Sept. 7, 2012

*Western - regional species perimeter foundation; Southern - regional species slab construction.

Crow's Market Recap -- A condensed recap of the market conditions for the major North American softwood lumber and panel products as reported in Crow's Weekly Market Report.   

Lumber: SPF prices in the West edged closer to the brink, as order files at mills eroded further. Futures remained at a significant discount to cash. In the East, mills accumulated floor stocks and reported difficulty selling at discounted price levels. Limited Southern Pine demand and volumes moving in from other regions forced weaker pricing in what had been the strongest of zones -- the West. Narrow widths were once again the highlight of the market, while wides were discounted. Activity in the Coastal species lumber market remained lackluster. Prices were soft, dipping $5 in most instances for both green and dry items. Where floor stocks were greatest, mills discounted the most. Inland species lumber producers reported light sales. Shorter order files and on-the-ground offerings from producers caused some buyers to step back to see if the market was making a correction. ESLP board prices were firm or up slightly, buoyed by steady sales and order files into late September or early October. Idaho White Pine sales were steady and prices remained firm and unchanged. Eastern White Pine board producers reported two to three week order files. Sales were slower with the majority of orders made up of mixes. Light trading was reported for Ponderosa Pine boards, but producers held prices, despite the quiet tone. Some weakness was still prevalent in Ponderosa Pine Mldg&Btr prices, especially 6/4 stock. A few buyers were contacted by producers looking for offers. Order files for rough Radiata Pine 5/4 Mldg&Btr were well into October and early November. Shop grades were still unavailable. Reports of improved Western Red Cedar sales activity compared to the prior week were few, but producers noted a slightly better sales pace than what was experienced throughout most of August.

Panels: A quiet market greeted OSB traders upon their return from the long holiday weekend. Long mill order files had producers unconcerned about the quieter pace of the market. Sales activity in the Southern Pine plywood market was sluggish, eroding mill order files but influencing prices little. Producers sold into the week of Sept. 17, most of them unable to sell a week's worth of production. Western Fir plywood buyers continued to hold out, in some cases waiting for mill order files to potentially erode further. Some volumes of CDX available for prompt shipment were sold by at least one producer at modest discounts. Modest sales of Canadian plywood were reported. A holiday on Monday and mill order files out two to four weeks were said to be part of the reason for the quieter pace. MDF sales maintained a fairly steady pace, and order files at mills remained flush. Particleboard volumes were a struggle for some producers to sell. 

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