The volume of softwood lumber traded around the world this year is on pace to to be the highest since 2007, according to the Wood Resource Quarterly (WRQ). A regional summary of the full report from WRQ is available at MarketWatch here. In the ebb and flow, perhaps not surprising that while softwood lumber prices in North America trended downward from a summer peak, the quarterly import volume in China bulged to the second highest on record.  It seems now that, while things are specific by region and mill in terms of both supply and/or demand, there is greater interconnectedness among variables that are at play. Increasingly, therefore, the impact of globalization is apparent in establishing market pricing across the board.

Near Alexis Creek, B.C. photo credit: ejh