FEA’s Weekly Order Survey Participants Views Vary from Region to Region

Dealers who responded to FEA’s Weekly Order Survey continue to take a highly regionalized view of their markets. Again, this week, some builders and their supporting dealers are reporting flat to a modest uptick in sales activity. While builders and dealers along the Gulf Coast had to quickly change gears, as Hurricane Delta went from a tropical storm to a Cat IV hurricane in less than 24 hours. Although it is predicted to weaken as it approaches the U.S., it is still going to be a dangerous storm and is forecast to take the very same path of the three previous Gulf hurricanes of this season. The price correction in lumber and Southern Pine panels continue to gain momentum. Discounts of varying degrees were being offered by mills and wholesalers first thing on Monday morning as they searched for a trading level, and prices continued to decline as the week progresses. So far, OSB and Western Fir plywood have been able to stay out of price correction turmoil. Thanks in part to their production schedules that extended into the late weeks of October and early November. Dealers are reporting that late shipments have become less of a problem over the past few weeks. Many producers and treaters reporting that they are just about caught up. It is too early to predict what impact Hurricane Delta will have on freight moving through the South. Previous storms did create temporary delays.