Continuing in the mechanical papers realm, April newsprint list price for 30-lb U.S. East rose $10/metric ton to $575/metric ton, while prices in the West remained flat at $535/metric ton, Wilde reports. As in previous months, the increase varied by region and size of the customer. Producers implemented the full price increase ($25/metric ton) for some small buyers in the East. However, for medium sized customers, price is up approximately $10-$12/metric ton in the East and for large customers the price increase is only about $5-$7/metric ton (East).
Major N.A. producers have also announced a $50/metric ton price increase, to be implemented in two installments of $25/metric ton each on May 1 and June 1, Wilde notes. "With April price hikes not yet fully implemented, the Canadian dollar strengthening against the U.S. dollar, demand levels still weak (newsprint consumption by U.S. daily newspapers -13.1% y/y in March) and far below existing supply levels, and a widening gap between West Coast ($535/metric ton) and East coast ($575/metric ton) prices, producers and customers will remain at battle," he says.
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