The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.2% on a seasonally adjusted basis, after declining 0.1% in June.
Wood Markets News
Mortgage Applications Increase in the Week Ending August 9th
Mortgage loan application volume increased 16.8% on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier.
Timber Building Inside a Skyscraper Being Built in Sydney, Australia
The world’s largest hybrid building will be “a timber building inside a much, much larger building,” Wood Central reported.
Rockshield Engineered Plywood Plant in Cochrane, ON, Suffers Extensive Fire Damage
The Rockshield Engineered Plywood Plant in Cochrane, Ontario, suffered extensive fire damage on Friday, CTV News reported.
US New-Home Completions Remain Wood-Framed, but Numbers Decreased in 2023
There were 930,000 wood-framed homes completed in 2023, NAHB reports. This is a 3% decrease compared to 2022.
US Producer Price Index for Final Demand Increases in July
The Producer Price Index (PPI) for final demand, seasonally adjusted, advanced 0.1% in July.
US Median Asking Rent Declines in All Bedroom Counts in July—A First Since June 2020
Redfin reported that the median asking rent fell year-over-year across all bedroom counts in July—the first time that’s occurred since June 2020.
NFIB Small Business Optimism Index Trends Higher in July but Remains Below 50-Year Average
The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index increased 2.2 points to a reading of 93.7. The last time the SBOI was this high was in February 2022.
UMaine Experiments With 3D Printed Floor Panels Made With Wood Residuals
The Oak Ridge National Laboratory and UMaine are leading new research into floor cassettes made using recyclable natural materials, according Archinect.
CPKC and CN Plan Lockouts If No Agreement, Or Binding Arbitration, Is Accepted By Teamsters Canada Before August 22nd
CPKC plans to notify Teamsters Canada of its plan to lock out employees on August 22nd if union leadership and CPKC are unable to come to a negotiated settlement or agree to binding arbitration.