NBSK Pulp Prices Improve

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The NBSK (northern bleached softwood kraft) pulp business has become much stronger in recent weeks, EUWID Pulp and Paper, Germany, reports. The stabilization, it adds "was spurred by large sales of spot volumes around the globe and by pulp mills in Europe and Canada going offline for maintenance."

Consequently, softwood pulp prices edged higher in November, as anticipated, EUWID notes. However, suppliers did not always manage to tack on the full amount, it points out, and producers often struck deals with their customers that will see an intermediate step with the remaining amount to be added this month.

"There was actually no need to split this mark-up given supply and demand at present," one producer told EUWID, adding that the market would have easily taken the full hike. However, a few competitors had apparently signaled their willingness to compromise at the London Pulp Week, sparking a chain reaction throughout the industry, EYWID said.

Observers are predicting that pulp prices will rise again in the early months of this year amid producers' low inventories and full order books. On the other hand, EUWID adds, converters feel that Europe's paper industry is in poor condition and thus intend to fight against additional mark-ups in rapid succession.