The German hardwood sawmill sector saw slight improvement in June, though overall sentiment remains negative. Around 20% of surveyed operators expect conditions to worsen in the next three months, while an equal share foresee improvement.
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For softwood sawmills, the outlook is also modestly better. All respondents described current conditions as "adequate" and expect stability in the coming quarter.
In the broader construction sector, real new orders fell by 8% in April compared to March. Building construction rose 9.3%, but civil engineering spiked 34.3% in March due to several large contracts.
Meanwhile, purchase prices of solid wood for packaging, pallets, and OSB increased in June, while the price index for plywood declined.
Source: www.globalwood.org