U.S. NBSK pulp price holding, but spot prices slipping downward

North American market pulp conditions are gradually weakening and moving into a slower winter demand period amid uncertainty about export markets, raising the likelihood that pricing pressure will mount within a month across key grades, according to RISI, publisher of PPI Pulp & Paper Week. In a press release RISI said, “Benchmark northern bleached softwood kraft (NBSK) preliminary effective list prices held at $940/tonne but spot prices drifted down $5/tonne to $540-570 net delivered, industry contacts told PPI Pulp & Paper Week. Southern bleached softwood kraft (SBSK) held unchanged on both regular contract and spot business after fluff producers apparently slowed the flow of baled SBSK and roll bleached softwood kraft (BSK).”