Traders' moods darkened last week as demand for lumber showed few signs of pulling out of the doldrums. The arrival of spring weather created some optimism early, but with few customers stepping up through the week, this tended to add to traders' concerns about the market. Lack of sales at the mill level greased the skid in prices, with many falling back to lows or near lows for the year to date.







Panel market

Structural panel prices lost ground amid dull sales. OSB prices finished lower in all regions, with many buyers living off contracts and avoiding open-market purchases. A few buyers said they were afraid to make offers for fear that suppliers would accept them. Anemic demand weighed on Southern Pine plywood prices. Concern about downside risk and lack of immediate needs pushed most buyers to the sidelines. Some western Fir producers, having run up against their order files, took discounts to generate minimal sales.