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US softwood lumber price until week 3/2022 © Holzkurier.com

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US price €130 lower in March?

Article by Gerd Ebner (translated by Eva Guzely) | 27.01.2022 - 09:22

At the end of the week of January 17, 2-by-4 cost US-$1,235/1000 bft (Western SPF, KD, #2 & better) according to Madison’s Lumber Reporter. With a currency exchange rate of US-$1.13/€, European suppliers make around €703/m³ (actual size, free Great Lakes region) and therefore €30/m³ more than in the week before. Year on year, it corresponds to an increase of €250/m³.

Free north German sawmill, around €630 to €650/m³ can currently be earned with 2-by-4.

In previous weeks, the Lumber Futures, which are traded at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, predicted ever-rising prices for March. This has changed in the course of last week. Now, a price of US-$1,000/1000 bft is forecast for March, which would be approximately €570/m³ with an unchanged currency exchange rate (US-$1.13/€) and thus around €130/m³ below the current price level.

This possible “slump” in prices has to be seen in context, though. US-$1,000/1000 bft are exactly what was paid in the month of March in the record year of 2021. Also, €570/m³ are more than double the ten-year average price.