paperloop.com
In U.S. East spot markets, northern bleached softwood kraft (NBSK) pulp prices declined just over a percent while hardwood spot transactions took a larger fall since July 2. Traders said that although some suppliers had pulled out of spot business, availability of various grades was still plentiful.
Prices for spot NBSK delivered in the Northeast or Midwest dipped $5/tonne to $420-$450/tonne, or 13 percent below July contract prices, paperloop sources said. Southern bleached softwood kraft (SBSK) on the spot market also fell, down $5/tonne to $400-$430/tonne.
"Prices are still eroding in the States (because) a lot of spot is still available, it's all over the place," said a supplier source. But he added that spot prices had eroded so badly in Asian markets that he pulled out altogether. Previously, some suppliers had diverted tonnage to Asian markets because of stronger demand for hardwoods there.
Both hardwood grades fell in the U.S. by $10/tonne on oversupply as producers tried to edge down their inventories. Northern bleached hardwood kraft (NBHK) closed the week about 18 percent below July contract prices at $340-380/tonne. Southern bleached hardwood kraft (SBHK) also ended at $340-380/tonne, but the lower end prices were partly keyed by low freight costs. One source noted that in the Northeast some buys were in "the low 300s."
"We have a ton of hardwood (available)," said a Midwest buyer source who indicated he was recently offered about 2,000 tonnes of spot NBHK at $360.