US lumber prices near 5-month highs

Lumber advanced past $600 per thousand feet benchmark, close to the 5-month highs, buoyed by improved demand outlook. The US housing starts, which serve as a measure for demand, soared 10.7% month-over-month to an annualized rate of 1.521 million in February 2024, reversing the 12.3% fall in January and beating forecasts of 1.425 million. Additionally, the sentiment was lifted by solidified bets of monetary easing after Fed members have maintained their projection for three interest rate cuts in 2024. Lower borrowing costs would decrease the mortgage rates and, therefore, revive ...