Hardwood fiber prices turned around and rose 5.6% in 2016

The Hardwood Wood Fiber Price Index (HFPI) has rebounded by 5.6% from the Q1 2016 when it reached an 11-year low. The biggest price increases this year have been in Brazil, Indonesia, Australia and Chile where prices have gone up despite the strengthening of the local currencies. However, hardwood fiber prices have not gone up in all markets this year. Hardwood pulplog prices were lower throughout Europe, Eastern Canada and the US South.

Softwood chip and pulplog prices fell in the local currencies in much of Europe and North America which, together with a stronger US dollar against the Canadian dollar and the Euro, resulted in a decline of the Softwood Wood Fiber Price Index (SFPI) in the Q3 2016. The SFPI is currently close to the lowest level in over ten years. During the past 12 months, softwood fiber costs in US dollar terms have fallen the most in the US Northwest, British Columbia, France, Norway and Germany, while they have gone up the most in Brazil, New Zealand and Japan.