US housing starts rose 7.2% in January, permits fell 5.4%, and completions rose 4.8%.
Wood Markets News
US Townhouse Construction Starts Hold Steady in 2025
US townhouse construction starts totaled 173,000 homes in 2025, essentially flat from 2024, while the sector’s share of single-family starts remained near record levels.
US Mortgage Rates Rise in the Week Ending March 12
The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.11%, up from 6.00% the previous week, Freddie Mac reported.
Value of Canadian Building Permits Rise in January
The total value of Canadian building permits rose 4.8% to CA$13.3 billion in January, with residential and nonresidential both increasing.
US Weekly Initial Jobless Claims Decline in the Week Ending March 7
The advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial unemployment claims was 213,000, a decrease of 1,000 from the previous week.
US Acquisition, Development, and Construction Loans Decline in Q4
US acquisition, development, and construction loans fell 1.5% to $456.3 billion in 2025Q4.
US Dept. Commerce Initiates Eighth Administrative Review of Duties on Canadian Softwood Lumber
The US initiated the eighth administrative reviews (AR8) of antidumping and countervailing duty orders covering certain softwood lumber products from Canada.
US Court Extends Deadline for Tariff Refunds After Global Duties Overturned
The US Court of International Trade extended the deadline for refunding about $166 billion in tariffs after the US Supreme Court struck down global duties imposed by the Trump administration.
US Consumer Price Index Rises 2.4% Year-Over-Year in February
The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers rose 0.3% in February and increased 2.4% year-over-year.
Metsä Fibre Initiates Change Negotiations at its Joutseno Pulp Mill in Finland
Metsä Fibre has launched change negotiations at its Joutseno pulp mill in Finland, with potential layoffs of up to 90 days affecting approximately 170 employees.