The advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial unemployment claims was 219,000, an increase of 5,000 from the previous week’s revised total.
Wood Markets News
US Housing Starts Fall 9.8% in January; Permits Hold Steady and Completions Rise
Housing starts in January were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,366,000. This is 9.8% below the revised December estimate of 1,515,000.
Explosion and Fire Reported at Weyerhaeuser’s MDF Plant in Columbia Falls, MT
An explosion and fire were reported at Weyerhaeuser’s Columbia Falls, Montana, MDF plant on Wednesday, Daily Inter Lake reported.
Södra and Vida Pause Sawmill Production in Sweden as Timber Shortage Drives Up Prices
Södra and Vida will temporarily halt production for a short period this winter due to a timber shortage driving up prices, Skogsaktuellt reported.
US Home Prices Rise 0.6% Month-Over-Month in January
US home prices rose 0.6% month-over-month in January on a seasonally adjusted basis, a tick faster than the 0.5% growth in each of the three months prior, Redfin reported.
US Mortgage Applications Decline in the Week Ending February 14
Mortgage loan application volume decreased 6.6% on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier, MBA reported.
Södra Supplying CLT for Gothenburg Grand Central in Sweden
Södra, in partnership with Hybridge, is supplying 9,100 square meters of CLT for Gothenburg Grand Central in Gothenburg, Sweden.
US Builder Confidence Drops to Five-Month Low in February
The NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index declined 5 points to a reading of 42, the lowest level in five months.
Canadian Existing-Home Sales Decline Just as New Listings Surge in January
Existing-home sales activity recorded over Canadian MLS® Systems was down 3.3% in January, CREA reported.
TCRC-MWED Ratifies Four-Year Agreement With CPKC
Teamsters Canada Rail Conference Maintenance of Way Employees Division has ratified a new four-year collective agreement with CPKC.