As of the last business day in February, the number of job openings changed little at 8.8 million. The job opening rate was unchanged for the third consecutive month at 5.3%.
Wood Markets News
US Construction Spending Declines Month-Over-Month but Rises Year-Over-Year in February
Construction spending during February was estimated at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $2,091.5 billion, 0.3% below the revised January estimate.
US First-Time Homebuyers in February Needed to Earn 8.2% More Than a Year Ago to Afford a Starter Home
US homebuyers needed to earn $75,849 annually to afford the typical starter home, up 8.2%, or $5,767, from February 2023.
Brazilian Exports of Wood-Based Products Increase Year-Over-Year in February
Brazilian exports of wood-based products (except pulp and paper) increased 16.0% year-over-year in value in February, the ITTO reported.
US National Interagency Fire Center Wildfire Update for the Week Ending March 29th
As of March 29th, 10 uncontained large wildfires were reported during the week. The fires are confined to 5 states and have burned 22,372 acres.
BC’s Prince George Fire Center Proactively Under Fire Ban Through October 15th
The Prince George Fire Center is under a fire ban as of noon on Thursday, March 28th, The Canadian Press reported.
Setra Doubles CLT Capacity in Långshyttan, Sweden
Setra is inaugurating a new processing machine for cross-laminated timber, doubling the capacity of its CLT factory in Långshyttan.
US Mortgage Application Payments Trend Higher in February
The national medium payment applied for by applications increased 2.4%, from $2,134 in January to $2,184 in February, the MBA reported.
US Median Existing-Home Down Payment Up 24.1% Year-Over-Year in February
The median down payment for homebuyers was $55,640 in February, up 24.1% from $44,850 a year earlier, Redfin reported.
Canadian Real GDP Increases 0.6% in January
Canadian real GDP grew 0.6% in January, led by a rebound in educational services following the resolution of the public sector strikes in Quebec.