Bryan Smith

Preliminary September US contract pulp prices were flat across paper-grade bleached softwood kraft (BSK) and bleached hardwood kraft (BHK) market pulp, while fluff pulp declined by as much as $30 per tonne during a time when offshore erosion continued. As the industry prepared for a fall season that typically sees demand improve during a time when maintenance downtime keeps producer inventories in check, market participants cast an eye on spot markets globally for signs of what’s next. …US northern bleached softwood kraft (NBSK) pulp preliminary September effective list prices held unchanged at $1,570 per tonne, according to Fastmarkets surveying. Southern bleached softwood kraft (SBSK) was also flat, with the preliminary list at $1,505 per tonne. …The announced closures of Canfor and Domtar market NBSK mills in Canada have market participants wondering if prices could recover once the physical impact of closures takes place. So far, they have not had much impact.