Canadian real GDP grew 0.2% in November, after being essentially flat for the previous three months. Overall, 13 out of 20 industrial sectors posted gains.
Wood Markets News
Ontario Announces Forest Biomass Program Funding
Ontario is investing $9.4 million (CAD) in 14 initiatives to develop the emerging uses of underutilized wood and mill by-products, collectively known as forest biomass.
US Army Corps of Engineers Announces Groundbreaking Partnership to Research New Mass Timber Product
The US Army Corp of Engineers announced a partnership with the Composite Recycling Technology Center (CRTC), a non-profit corporation that designs, develops, and manufactures products that recycle carbon fiber scrap.
Home Price Growth Decelerates in November, S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller Index Shows
The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller US National Home Price NSA Index reported an annual gain of 5.1% in November, up from a 4.7% rise in October.
FHFA House Price Index Increases Month-Over-Month and Year-Over-Year in November
The FHFA House Price Index increased 6.6% year-over-year in November. FHFA’s seasonally adjusted monthly index for November was up 0.3% from October.
US Consumer Confidence Index Rises for Third Consecutive Month in January
The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index® (CCI) rose to a reading of 114.8 (1985=100) in January, up from a revised December reading of 108.0.
US Job Openings and Labor Turnover Summary Released for December
As of the last business day in December, the number of job openings changed little at 9.0 million. The job opening rate was unchanged at 5.4%.
Tolko Reports “Good Progress” on Its High Prairie, Alberta, OSB Mill, but No Restart Date Set
South Peace News reported that Tolko has not yet set a date for the reopening of its High Prairie OSB mill that was destroyed by a fire in 2022.
Lower Mortgage Rates Increase Homebuyers’ Purchasing Power
A homebuyer with a $3,000 monthly budget has gained nearly $40,000 in purchasing power since mortgage rates peaked last year, Redfin reported.
Belarusian Sawn Timber Exports Increase Nearly 40% in 2023
BelTA reported that exports of Belarusian sawn timber were up by almost 40% in 2023, according to figures released by the Belarusian Forestry Ministry.