Lumber Drops to Lowest Level in Two Years

Lumber futures fell to $527 per thousand board feet, reaching their lowest level in two years, as rising borrowing costs weighed on housing demand. Growing concerns over inflationary pressures and government debt have strengthened expectations of higher-for-longer interest rates and fueled a broader sell-off in the bond market, pushing sovereign yields to their highest levels in over two decades. As a result, mortgage rates climbed to 7.3%, their highest level in three years, further straining an already weak housing market. Although lacking any particular economic significance, economists refer to the 7% threshold as a psychological ceiling. Providing an offsetting pressure, Ottawa had announced counter-tariffs of 25% on US lumber and 50% on plywood following US tariffs on several lumber-related goods. US forestry groups have long accused Canada of distorting the market, as Canadian forestland is largely publicly owned, allowing its lumber to be sold at lower prices.