The IPPI rose 0.8% in September and 5.5% year-over-year. Softwood lumber fell 10.7%, the largest decrease since June 2022.
News in end use
Investment in Canadian Building Construction Edges Higher in August
Investment in Canadian building construction edged up 0.1% to CA$22.8 billion in August, as single-family housing and nonresidential gains offset weaker multi-unit activity.
Leading Indicator of Remodeling Activity Points Slow but Steady Growth Into 2026
LIRA forecasts homeowner remodeling spending will rise to 2.4% year-over-year in 2026Q1 before easing to 1.9% in 2026Q3.
US Existing-Home Listings Rise as Pending Sales Fall
New listings rose 4.1% year-over-year in early October, Redfin reported, but pending home sales fell 1.2% as affordability and economic concerns kept buyers cautious.
US Builder Confidence for Newly Built Single-Family Homes Rises in October
Confidence rose five points to 37 in October, its highest since April, although sentiment remains in negative territory, NAHB reported.
US New-Home Purchase Mortgage Applications Decrease in September
Mortgage applications for new-home purchases fell 5.0% in September but were up 6.0% year-over-year, MBA reported.
Canadian Housing Starts Rise in September
Canadian housing starts rose 14% in September to 279,234 units (SAAR), while the six-month trend increased 4.1% to 277,147 units, CMHC reported.
US Mortgage Rates Inch Lower in the Week Ending October 16
The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.27%, down from 6.30% the previous week, Freddie Mac reported.
Canadian Existing-Home Sales Edge Down in September
Canadian existing-home sales slipped 1.7% in September, ending a five-month streak of gains, CREA reported.
ABC Construction Backlog Indicator Holds Steady in September
ABC’s Construction Backlog Indicator held at 8.5 months in September, with confidence steady as public-sector and data center work offset private weakness.