The global forest industry in the 2Q/13

According to figures provided by Wood Resource Quarterly (www.woodprices.com), the Global Sawlog Price Index (GSPI) increased for the fourth consecutive quarter. Hardwood Wood Fiber Price Index (HFPI) has fallen every quarter for two years with one exception. In the 2Q/13, the Hfpi was 3.1 percent lower than the previous quarter and 14.8 percent below the all-time high. 
The Softwood Wood Fiber Price Index (SFPI) was also down in the 2Q/13, but the decline over the past two years has been less dramatic than that of Hfpi. North American lumber production was up 7.5  percent during the first five months of 2013.
After the sharp increase in US lumber prices in 2012 and early 2013, Douglas-fir and spruce-pine-fir (SPF) prices fell from their ten-year peak in January.
The trend of sawmills in the Nordic countries diversifying their geographical customer base has continued in 2013.  Lumber prices in Japan had trended downward during much of 2012 and early 2013 but suddenly turned around late in the 2Q/13.
US South pellet export volumes to Europe resumed their double-digit growth after a brief pause in the fourth quarter of 2012.