Two mega bushfires in Victoria have destroyed up to 400,000 hectares (988,000 acres) of forest, heavily impacting plantations and communities, Wood Central reported.
Wood Markets News
US Construction Employment Falls by 11,000 in December
US construction employment fell by 11,000 jobs in December, while year-over-year employment edged higher by 14,000, ABC reported.
US Wood Pellet Exports Decline in October
US wood pellet exports totaled 814,292.7 metric tons in October, the USDA and Biomass Magazine reported.
Acceptance of Mass Timber Opens New Opportunities for Texas Forestry
Mass timber construction, led by CLT, is gaining traction in Texas, according to the Texas Farm Bureau.
US Housing Starts Fall in October; Permits Edge Lower, Completions Rise
US housing starts fell 4.6% in October to seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,246,000. Permits slipped 0.2%, while completions rose 1.1%.
Severe Storm Fells Estimated 10 Million Cubic Meters of Forest in Sweden
Storm Johannes is estimated to have felled about 10 million cubic meters of forest across northern Sweden, the Sweden Herald reported.
US Construction Employment Falls in December
US construction employment fell by 11,000 jobs in December, while the construction unemployment rate rose to 5.3%, the BLS and NAHB reported.
US Nonfarm Payroll Increases by 50,000 in December; Unemployment at 4.4%
US nonfarm payroll employment rose by 50,000 in December, while the unemployment rate slipped to 4.4%, the BLS reported.
Canadian Employment Rises by 8,200 in December; Unemployment at 6.8%
Canadian employment rose by 8,200 in December, while the unemployment rate increased to 6.8%.
University of Michigan Releases Preliminary Results of Its Consumer Sentiment Index for January
The Index of Consumer Sentiment rose to 54.0 in January, up 2.1% from December but nearly 25% below year-ago levels.