SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 27, 2001 (paperloop.com) - In U.S. East spot markets, northern bleached softwood kraft (NBSK) pulp prices held flat even as buyers indicated some low-priced deals in softwood transactions. Some industry sources indicated that a closing between list prices and spot transactions could point to tighter supplies in spot markets later this year. Prices for spot NBSK delivered in the Northeast or Midwest held at $410-440/tonne, 11.5% below August contract prices, paperloop sources said. Although there have been anecdotal cases of buyers procuring NBSK at $400/tonne in the Northeast, a producer asserted the deals must have come from one supplier.
Southern bleached softwood kraft (SBSK) on the spot market also remained flat, holding its $390-420/tonne range of two weeks ago. 
Northern bleached hardwood kraft (NBHK), the only grade to hold flat in spot markets two weeks ago, remained unchanged at $340-380/tonne. Evidently moving to protect pricing, some mills last week curbed supplies even though buys were said to be available at typical spot prices. In a growing recent trend, one NBHK supplier closed a five-month deal at a fixed price of $370/tonne, on the high end of current spot prices but barely covering its cash cost of production.
Southern bleached hardwood kraft (SBHK) was unchanged and closed the week at $330-370/tonne.