Framing lumber traders noted that sales were stronger than expected for a holiday week. Lean inventories across the distribution system were the key, while the growing certainty that loads booked this week would not arrive before January helped to feed the steady flow of orders. Many mills boasted shipments as far out as mid-January. New orders usually led to incremental price increases at the mills.

　

	Week Dec 23	Week Dec 17	Year Ago 2009
Random Lengths Framing Lumber Composite Price*	$288	$281	$250
KD Western S-P-F #2&Btr 2x4 R/L Mill Price	300	286	212
KD Eastern S-P-F #1&2 2x4 R/L, delivered Great Lakes	381	371	305
Green Douglas Fir Std&Btr 2x4 R/L (Portland)	262	257	192
Southern Pine (Westside) #2 2x4 R/L	281	272	254
KD Coast Hem-Fir Std&Btr 2x4 R/L	290	282	235
Ponderosa Pine (Inland) #2&Btr 1x12 R/L	575	575	570
* Weighted average of 15 key items

Panel market
Structural panel markets moved toward the holidays on a firm footing. OSB sales were thin, but mills leaned on order files into the weeks of January 3 or 10 to turn away counters. Most Southern Pine plywood producers reported order files into the week of January 10 or beyond. This allowed them to push rated sheathing prices higher on steady sales to secondaries. Even as many western Fir plywood buyers left their offices for the holidays, mills fielded a burst of business Wednesday that led to price increases on sheathing.
　

(f.o.b. mill prices)	Week Dec 23	Week Dec 17	Year Ago 2009
Random Lengths Structural Panel Composite Price*	$286	$282	$274
Southern (west-east) 15/32-inch 3-ply exterior sheathing plywood	268-275	265-272	285-287
Southern (west-east) 15/32-inch 4-ply exterior sheathing plywood	282-295	275-290	285-310
Western 1/2-inch 4-ply exterior sheathing plywood	328	315	270
North Central 7/16-inch Oriented Strand Board	195	195	187
*Weighted average of 11 key items

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