Construction spending in March was estimated at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $2,196.1 billion, down 0.5% from the revised February estimate.
Wood Markets News
US Mortgages Rates Continue to Inch Lower in the Week Ending May 1
The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.76%, down from last week when it averaged 6.81%, Freddie Mac reported.
US Personal Income and Outlays for March
Personal income increased 0.5% at a monthly rate in March; disposable personal income increased 0.5%; and personal consumption expenditures increased 0.7%.
CSX Reaches 5-Year Agreements With Signalmen and Boilermakers Unions
New five-year agreements with the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen and the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Forgers & Helpers have been ratified.
Brazilian Exports of Wood-Based Products Increase Year-Over-Year in March
Brazilian exports of wood-based products (excluding pulp and paper) rose 18.0% in value year-over-year in March, the ITTO reported.
US Private Sector Job Cuts Slow in April
US-based employers announced 105,441 job cuts in April, down 62% from the 275,240 job cuts announced in March, CG&C reported.
US Weekly Initial Jobless Claims Increase in the Week Ending April 26
The advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial unemployment claims was 241,000, an increase of 18,000 from the previous week’s revised total.
US Real GDP Declines at an Annual Rate of 0.3% in Q1, BEA Reports in Its “Advance” Estimate
Real GDP declined at an annual rate of 0.3% in Q1, the BEA reported in its “advance” estimate. This follows an increase of 2.4% in 2024Q4.
US Pending Home Sales Rise 6.1% in March
The NAR Pending Homes Sales Index increased 6.1% to a reading of 76.5 in March. Year-over-year, sales were down 0.6%.
EFM and Sojitz Launch Climate-Smart Forestry and Carbon Fund
EFM and Sojitz Corporation will establish a $200 million forestry investment fund to generate high-integrity carbon credits and promote climate-smart forest stewardship across the US.