The MBA Mortgage Credit Availability Index increased 0.7% to a reading of 96.6 in December.
Wood Markets News
US Private Sector Job Cuts Drop in December
US employers announced 38,792 job cuts in December, a 33% drop from November’s 57,727, according to Challenger, Gray & Christmas. However, this marks an 11% increase year-over-year.
US Port Workers and Operators Reach Agreement, Averting Second Strike
Late Wednesday, East and Gulf Coast port operators reached a tentative agreement with a dockworkers’ union, CBS News reported.
Biden Administration Withdraws Old-Growth Forest Protection Plan
The Biden administration is withdrawing its plan to protect old-growth forests after receiving increasing pushback from Republicans and the US timber industry, the AP reported.
British Columbia Planted Over 280 Million Trees in 2024
More than 280 million trees were planted in British Columbia forests in 2024, the BC Ministry of Forests announced.
US Wood Pellet Exports Rebound in November
The US exported 873,783.9 metric tons of wood pellets in November, up from 839,226.4 metric tons in October, Biomass Magazine and the USDA reported.
Mortgage Applications Decrease in the Week Ending January 3
Mortgage loan application volume declined 3.7% on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier, MBA reported.
US Weekly Initial Jobless Claims Decline in the Week Ending January 4
The advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial unemployment claims was 201,000, a decrease of 10,000 from the previous week’s unrevised level.
ADP Reports Private Sector Employment and Compensation Both Increased in December
Private sector US employment increased by 122,000 jobs in December, according to ADP. Year-over-year, annual compensation was up 4.6%.
BC Experiences Fourth Worst Wildfire Season on Record in 2024
A little over one million hectares (2.47 million acres) burned across BC during the 2024 wildfire season, the BC Wildfire Service and CKPG Today reported.