N.A. Coated Paper Gains Muted

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Gains in North American coated paper shipments were more muted than in recent months. Lightweight coated paper (LWC) shipments increased +11% y/y (+21% ytd) and coated freesheet increased +7% y/y (+24% ytd), Wilde says. Last July, he adds, these two categories posted declines of -17.6% and -16.6%, respectively.

Thus a good portion of the improvement in coated papers owes to a "lapping" of extremely weak numbers from 2009, Wilde explains. With early July price increases in coated paper, it is possible that July volumes were dampened by some "prebuying". In North America, Verso, Sappi, and NewPage have exposure to coated papers, Wilde points out.