A post today from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) seems to underscore reality that forecasts right now are murky at best (See Eye on the Economy: Mixed Signals as Spring Data Bloom).
Stormy weather beset with tornadoes across the U.S. South and Midwest is an unfortunate metaphor for challenging times. Prevailing conditions define uncertainty in markets in which managing risk would seem to be a big part of management strategies throughout the distribution chain. So far, Spring has not unveiled answers for questions such as: Is US housing construction activity set to resume in better weather? Are China’s wood markets presently oversupplied? If so, how does that impact North American market pricing?

Signs of Spring – Vancouver, BC Photo Credit: ejh