News in international markets

Ingka Group, the largest IKEA retailer with about 90% of IKEA retail sales, said it continues to lower prices despite a challenging year.

The City of Bejing relaxed some rules on multiple home purchases after 13 years to stimulate a stagnant property market, the South China Morning Post reported.

Sweden’s Sveaskog, a state-owned company and the country’s largest forest owner, announced it was raising the price of timber and pulpwood in large parts of the country.

The US exported 938,662.3 metric tons of wood pellets in March, up from 696,692.9 metric tons of in February, a Biomass Magazine review USDA data shows.

The value of Brazilian exports of wood-based products (except pulp and paper) fell 16.0% year-over-year in March, according to the International Tropical Timber Organization.

Acon Timber, a joint venture between HS Timber Group and Forestcape Group, has commissioned a new sawmill in Argentina.

Pfeifer Group has optimized manufacturing at its sawmill in Chanovice, Czech Republic, and its CLT facility in Schlitz, Germany, according to the Timber Trades Journal.

Western Australia’s Forest Management Plan 2024–33 will be bolstered with a $67.2 million (AUD) investment over the next four years.

According to an investigation by NGL Media, Russia’s war against Ukraine has destroyed more than 60,000 hectares of forests amounting to US$360 million, The Kyiv Independent reported.

Timber import volumes in the UK started 2024 down 6%, or about 45,000 m3, year-over-year, Timber Development UK reported.