The U.S. Department of Labor is reporting that an additional 1.416 million Americans made their initial filing for unemployment benefits during the week ending on Saturday, July 18th.
Wood Markets News
U.S. Commerce Enforcement and Compliance Division adding 60 Additional Days onto All Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Reviews
Deadline for all antidumping (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) administrative reviews pushed back 60 days, which will delay the anticipated duty adjustments on Canadian softwood lumber entering the U.S.
B.C. Sawmills High Operating Costs Slows Province and Industry Recovery
The British Columbia forest industry was deteriorating prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since mid-2019, B.C. has experienced a disproportionately high number of sawmill closures and curtailments compared with other states and provinces.
Existing-Home Sales Rise 20.7% in June
The National Association of Realtors® (NAR) is reporting that total existing-home sales, completed transactions that include single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops, increased 20.7% from May to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.72 million in June.
U.S. Home Prices Decline -0.3% in May 2020
The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), Home Price Index (HPI) reports that U.S. house prices decline in May by -0.3% from the previous month. Year-over-year, house prices are 4.9% higher, (May 2019 to May 2020).
Mortgage Applications Trend Higher in Week Ending July 17th 2020
According to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Weekly Mortgage Application Survey, for the week ending 17th July 2020, the Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, increased 4.1% on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier.
Mortgage Loans in Forbearance Decrease for Fifth Week in a Row
The Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Forbearance and Call Volume Survey for July 20th, reports that the total number of loans now in forbearance decreased by 38-basis points from 8.18% of servicers’ portfolio volume in the prior week to 7.80% as of July 12th, 2020.
Great Plains MDF Production Inc., Announces Plan to Build to New Facility in Stettler Alberta
In a press release, The Great Plains MDF Production Inc., officially announced that they intended to make Stettler Alberta the home of their new $ 750 million straw fiber Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF) plant.
UPM Announces Permanent Closure of Jyväskylä Plywood Mill on 7-31-2020
UPM has provided additional information about the closing of its Jyväskylä plywood mill which was first announced in June. The Jyväskylä plywood mill will be permanently closed as of 7-31-2020.
American’s Considering Purchasing a Home Not Dissuaded by COVID-19 Pandemic
The latest National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Housing Trends Report (HTR) reveals that number of Americans who said they are considering the purchase of a home in the next 12 months was 11% in second quarter of 2020.