Wood Markets News


Skelleftea, Sweden Tackling the Climate Crisis One New Building at a Time

Skelleftea, a city in Sweden, is tackling the climate crisis one newbuilding at a time by bucking the trend of the customarily carbon-heavy construction industry. One such example is the new Sara Culture Centre that opened its doors is September 2021. Those behind the Sara Cultural Centre—the second tallest wooden tower in the world—claim the skyscraper will capture nine million kilograms of carbon dioxide throughout its lifetime

U.S. Home Prices Post 19.2% Year-Over-Year Gain in January 2022

According to the S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price NSA Index, which covers all nine U.S. Census divisions, reported today (3-29-22) that home prices experienced a 19.2% annual gain in January (following a 18.9% annual gain in December, the same as in November, but down from a 19.0% annual gain in October).

Job Openings and Labor Turnover Summary Released for February 2022

On Tuesday (3-29-22), the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Summary (JOLTS) for February 2022. According to the JOLTS report, as of the last day in February, the number of job openings were at 11.3 million or a rate of 7.0%. These are only minor changes from the January report.

Domestic Producers Could Benefit From a Proposed 50% Tariff on Imported Birch Plywood From Russia

Legislation passed last week by the U.S. House of Representatives would end “normal trade relations” with Russia and have a long-lasting trade impact if the proposed 50% tariffs on imports of birch plywood were to be put into effect. If signed into law, the Decorative Hardwoods Association said that this would create challenges for importers and potential opportunities for domestic manufacturers.