N.A. Coated Groundwood on Positive Track

The January list price range on North American coated groundwood grades trimmed to the upside--+$30/ton m/m, according to Wilde of Deutsche Bank. In September 2010, he explains, prices rose only $30/ton of the $60 - $75/ton hike announced, as some of the large North American customers enjoyed contractual price protections in the third and fourth quarters. As these protections ended, producers implemented price increase in January, leading to an increase in the low-end of the price range. Preliminary December shipments were -2.2% y/y, but +5.2% m/m. With operating rates already healthy, NewPage's pending closure of its 250,000-tpy LWC mill in Whiting, Wis., could help drive prices upward later in the year, Wilde notes.

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