The U.S. Department of Labor reports declining initial filings for unemployment benefits.
Wood Markets News
Home Buyers and Sellers Changing Plans due to Inflation and High Energy Costs
A survey indicates inflation and energy costs are impacting expected home buyers and sellers.
Pending Homes Sales Decline in November 2021
The National Association of Realtors report pending home sales dropped 2.2% in November.
China Updates Phytosanitary Requirements for Pine Log and Lumber Imports
China Customs released new phytosanitary rules on importing pine logs and lumber from 7 countries due to pine nematode concerns. The new rules include an updated list of designated Chinese ports pine logs and lumber can be imported starting February 1st, 2022.
S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller National Home Price Index Increases 19.1% in October
The Case-Shiller National Home Price index shows continued gains in US home prices.
Greenpanel Industries MDF plant located in Rudrapur, Uttarakhand, India, Resumes Full Production
Greenpanel Industries announced the restart of their Rudrapur MDF mill after repairs to refiner.
PotlatchDeltic Corporation Announces Merger with Loutre Land and Timber Company
PotlatchDeltic Corporation announced today (12-23-21) a merger with Loutre Land and Timber Company. To meet the terms of the transaction, PotlatchDeltic has issued 1.96 million shares of common stock and assumed debt of $6.6 million, in exchange for Loutre’s 51,340 acres of high-quality, well-stocked timberlands in southern Arkansas and northern Louisiana.
New Residential Home Sales up Month-Over-Month but Down Year-Over-Year in November 2021
The U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development jointly announced on Thursday (12-23-21) that new residential single-family home sales for November 2021 were at a SAAR of 744,000, according to estimates. This is 12.4% above the revised October rate of 662,000 but is -14.0% below the November 2020 estimate of 865,000.
Canadian GDP Increased 0.8% in October, Marking Fifth Consecutive Monthly Increase
Statistics Canada (StatsCan) reported today (12-23-21) that real gross domestic product (GDP) rose 0.8% in October, following a 0.2% growth in September. The growth marks the fifth consecutive monthly gain in the GDP. Seventeen of the 20 industrial sectors posted gains in October. Construction rose 1.6% in October, following four declines in the previous five months, as all forms of construction activity were up in the month.
30-Year and 15-Year Mortgage Rates Move Lower in Week Ending December 23, 2021
Freddie Mac has released its Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) for the week ending December 23, 2021. The PMMS reports that the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 3.05% with an average 0.7 point, down from last week when it averaged 3.12%. A year ago, at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 2.66%.