Pulp Still Sliding, but Bottom Near

Pulp prices are still falling, reports Mark Wilde, senior analyst with Deutsche Bank, "but there are signs suggesting that the bottom could be near," he adds. Key North American producers have announced NBSK (northern bleached softwood kraft) at $890/metric ton for December, a $30/metric ton m/m drop. Transaction prices are much lower at ˜$650 - $680/metric ton for NBSK in China. At current levels, some integrated Chinese mills are opting to buy from the open market rather than producing pulp. "We're also starting to see closures in Canada and Europe," Wilde says.

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