Containerboard Shipments Down

February U.S. box shipments were down 1.9% y/y and inventories rose 11,000 tons m/m, according to Wilde. The key issue was severe weather conditions. The prospect of a spring price hike now appears "dead," Wilde says. Linerboard prices appear mostly stable with reports of some "spot deals" by Tier-II producers. Export pricing is mixed. "We think the ‘best case scenario' is now a mid-summer price initiative," Wilde adds.

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