Global Fiber Indexes at All-Time Highs

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The Global Conifer Sawlog Price Index (GSPI) reached a new all-time high of $92.27 per cubic meter in the second quarter, according to the Wood Resource Quarterly (WRQ), Seattle, Wash., USA. This was 5.6% more than the previous quarter, and an almost 20% jump from a year ago. The GSPI has gone up every quarter since the first quarter of 2009 when the Index was at $66.10 per cubic meter. This almost 40% increase in two years is due not only to a weakening of the U.S. dollar against all other currencies in the Index, but also to the higher costs of logs in local currencies, WRQ notes.

Wood fiber costs for the global pulp industry have trended upward for over two years, WRQ adds. The Softwood Fiber Price Index (SFPI) reached $109.52/o.d. metric ton in the second quarter, a 3.7% increase from the previous quarter and a 23% increase from Global Wood Fiber Price Indices 1988 - 2Q/2011 two years ago. In local currencies, fiber prices increased the most in the U.S. Northwest, Western Canada, Russia, and Finland. The weakening U.S. dollar against most global currencies resulted in higher fiber prices in all regions covered by the WRQ in U.S. dollar terms.

The Hardwood Fiber Price Index (HFPI) reached a new all-time-high in the second quarter at $116.44/o.d. metric ton, which was 5.5% higher than the first quarter and almost 27% higher than in early 2009. Recently, hardwood prices have increased the most in Indonesia, Finland, Russia, and Brazil, WRQ reports.

Global pulp markets continued to be surprisingly strong in the second quarter, setting record high prices for most market pulp grades, according to WRQ, NBSK pulp prices ranged between $1,010/ton and $1,040/ton both in Europe and in North America, while prices in China were around $850 - $930/ton. Global production of market pulp was up as much as 8% during the first five months of this year compared with 2010. The highest increase occurred in Latin America. The gain in Europe was somewhat smaller.

Lumber exports from the Nordic countries slowed during spring, and prices fell slightly. The average export prices of lumber from Finland and Sweden have fallen from last fall and were 3% - 6% lower in April than in October of last year, WRQ says. Lumber production in the U.S. fell by 13% from March to April because of slowing domestic demand, and the average operating rate for U.S. sawmills was down to 67%. With the persistent weak demand for lumber in the U.S., sawmills in Eastern Canada continue to struggle, as they are so dependent on the health of the U.S. market for their survival. The operating rate so far in 2011 has been only 55% of capacity. Lumber imports to China continue to set new records. During the first five months of 2011, the importation of softwood lumber was up 72% from the same period last year, WRQ points out.

Prices for woody biomass, including mill residues and forest residues, increased slightly in all major biomass-consuming regions of the U.S. in the 2Q, WRQ continues. Pellet prices in Europe were unchanged or slightly lower in the second quarter compared with the first quarter, but the long-term trends are still upward with prices being close to record levels. Asian demand for biomass energy is finally beginning to emerge, WRQ adds. Japan, China, and South Korea have recently announced policies to increase the use of biomass.

More information is available online.