After three years of extreme volatility and many unknowns, North American construction framing dimension softwood lumber price trendlines started to normalize during 2023.
This means that next year it will be less difficult to judge what is going with sales and prices, thus industry will be better able to plan. This stability will surely be welcome, as the series of “unprecedented” circumstances during 2020 to 2022 kept sawmills constantly making big adjustments.
Now that most of those are either resolved, or are the “new normal”, the consistent lumber price data for this year will help forest industry players understand what might come next year.
Prompt material was subject to modest discounts, while orders with delivery a couple weeks out held firmer numbers.
In the week ending September 29, 2023, the price of Western S-P-F 2x4 #2&Btr KD (RL) was US$400 mfbm, said forest products industry price guide newsletter Madison’s Lumber Reporter. This is down by -$16, or -4%, from the previous week when it was $416.
The price is down by -$17, or -4%, from one month ago when it was US$417 mfbm.
Compared to the same week last year, when it was US$510 mfbm, that week’s price is down by -$110, or -22%. Compared to two years ago when it was US$480 mfbm, that week’s price is down by -$64 or -13%.
In the week ending September 29, 2023, the price of Southern Yellow Pine East Side 2x4 #2&Btr KD (RL) was US$530 mfbm. This is down by -$5, or -1%, from the previous week when it was $535.
That week’s price is down by -$108, or -20%, from one month ago when it was US$422 mfbm.
Compared to the same week last year, when it was US$565 mfbm, that week’s price is down by -$35, or -6%. Compared to two years ago when it was US$575 mfbm, that week’s price is down by -$45, or -8%.
