Wood Markets News


US Weekly Jobless Claims Increase

The US Department of Labor is reporting that the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial unemployment claims was 211,000 during the week ending on Saturday, March 4th. This is an increase of 21,000 from the previous week’s unrevised level of 190,000.

Pacific Lumber Inspection Bureau Releases New Grading Rule Book

The Pacific Lumber Inspection Bureau has published a new grading rule book, titled WCLB Standard Grading Rules for West Coast & Imported Softwood lumber, No. 18, 2022, according to reporting by The Construction Specifier. The new book replaced WCLB Standard No. 17, the bureau’s previous version of the grading rules.

Transportation Prices Declined at a Record Pace in February

FreightWaves is reporting that transportation prices in February fell at the fastest rate recorded in the six-and-a-half-year history of a monthly survey of supply chain executives. The Logistic Manager’s Index (LMI) registered a reading of 36.1 for transportation costs in February, 5.9 percentage points lower than in January.

Mortgage Applications Increase in the Week Ending March 3rd

According to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Weekly Mortgage Application Survey, for the ending March 3rd, the Market Composite Index (a measure of mortgage loan application volume) increased 7.4% on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier. On an unadjusted basis, the Index increased 9.0%.