Wood Markets News


Western Australia to Band Native Forest Logging Starting at the End of 2023

Western Australia (WA) Premier Mark McGowan has announced an effort to preserve an estimated two million hectares of vegetation by banning logging of native forest in WA starting at the end of 2023. The changes will be contained in a new Forest Management Plan, due for release shortly, that from 2024 will ban the removal of timber from native forests besides for “limited forest management activities…

Mortgage Applications Decline for Second Consecutive Week in the Week Ending September 3, 2021

According to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Weekly Mortgage Application Survey (WMAS), for the week ending September 3, 2021, the Market Composite Index — a measure of mortgage loan application volume — decreased -1.9% on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier. On an unadjusted basis, the Index decreased -3% compared with the previous week.

Job Opening and Labor Turnover Survey for July 2021

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) today (9-8-21) reported its Job Opening and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) for July 2021. According to the JOLTS report, as of the last business day in July, the number and rate of job openings was at a series record high of 10.9 million, or +749,000. The job openings rate increased to 6.9%.

Price per Square Foot of New Custom Single-Family Homes Increased 8% in 2020

According to the National Association of Home Builder’s analysis of the latest Survey of Construction (SOC) data, which comes from interviews of builders and owners of selected new houses, the median square foot price in a new custom single-family detached (SFD) homes started in 2020 increased 8%. Excluding ‘soaring’ improved lot values, the average SFD increased 4%.