Suz-Anne Kinney
The MarketWatch Blog is Transitioning to ResourceWise Forest Products
Forest2Market: July 14, 2023
The general economy in the U.S. will continue to contract in 2009, with predictable impacts on employment and consumption. Oil prices will remain low (around $35/barrel) through April, but they will then trend higher for the rest of the year. Despite lower transportation costs, reduced demand and a stronger dollar have put a dent in exports of U.S.-manufactured forest products. The housing market shows some signs of turning a corner. Two indexes published by the National Association of Realtors indicate we are near the bottom: the Housing Affordability Index, which shows that homes are more affordable now than at any time in the last 25 years, and the Pending Home Sales Index, a forward-looking indicator based on signed contracts, which was revised upward for November and rose 6.3 percent in December. While housing may begin a recovery in 2009, however, the way back will be slow and far from smooth because of weakness in the general economy.
View the chart below for a closer look at the performance of the wood and paper products industries in January 2009.
Read more about the Forest2Market Economic Outlook.
Economic Outlook - January 2009
Suz-Anne Kinney : January 5, 2009
The U.S. economy, now officially in recession, continues to act the part. Manufacturing activity and consumer spending declined noticeably during...
Economic Outlook - April 2009
Suz-Anne Kinney : April 6, 2009
Mounting problems with Europe’s banks, slowing international trade and rising unemployment in most countries indicate the end of the ongoing global...
Economic Outlook - February 2009
Suz-Anne Kinney : February 2, 2009
The outlook for the U.S. economy continues to dim. Slack final demand is feeding a downturn in production and a rise in unemployment, which creates...