Lumber under pressure: tariffs and uncertainty disrupt the U.S. market

As the U.S. construction industry enters its peak season, trade disputes and tariff uncertainties are sending tremors through the timber market. Lumber pricing remains erratic, leaving businesses struggling to plan and customers hesitant to commit. The Northeast Retail Lumber Association (NRLA) has sounded the alarm over the industry's deepening instability, drawing parallels to the supply chain turmoil seen during the pandemic. Despite repeated delays in the implementation of tariffs on Canadian and Mexican lumber, price volatility continues to sow confusion. Dealers report customers either rushing to stockpile supplies or delaying purchases altogether, wary of unpredictable cost fluctuations ...