New Zealand announced a new arrangement with Vietnam that will enhance cooperation in the forestry sector, the Vietnam Investment Review reported.
Wood Markets News
US Weekly Initial Jobless Claims Increase in the Week Ending May 24
The advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial unemployment claims was 240,000, an increase of 14,000 from the previous week’s revised total.
Canadian Employment Declines in March
Payroll employment fell by 0.3% (54,100 jobs) in March. Compared with a year earlier, payroll employment was up 0.2% (32,800 jobs).
Prices for Inputs to New US Residential Construction Fell 0.4% in April
Prices for inputs to new residential construction fell 0.4% in April, the BLS and NAHB reported. Prices rose 0.6% year-over-year.
US Mortgage Applications Decline in the Week Ending May 23
Mortgage loan application volume decreased 1.2% on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier, MBA reported.
Southern Pine Lumber Exports Rise 2% in Q1
Southern pine lumber exports (treated and untreated) totaled 122 MMBF in Q1, up 2% from 2024Q4, the USDA and SFPA reported.
Metsä Fiber Concludes Change Negotiations in Joutseno and Rauma, Finland
Metsä Fiber announced the conclusion of change negotiations at its Joutseno and Rauma pulp mills and the Rauma sawmill in Finland concerning potential temporary layoffs.
University of Pennsylvania Completes New Mass Timber Academic Building
The University of Pennsylvania has completed Amy Gutmann Hall, a six-story, 116,000-square-foot facility dedicated to data science and artificial intelligence programs, Archinect reported.
New Listings of US Homes Reach Highest Level in Nearly Three Years
In the four-week period ending on May 18, new listings of homes for sale rose 8.4% year-over-year to their highest level in nearly three years, Redfin reported.
Investment in Canadian Building Construction Falls 0.9% in March
Total investment in building construction declined 0.9% in March to CA$22.2 billion.