Inventory levels, fiscal stimulus offer hope for mid-2002 price recovery

摘要

The north american pulp and paper indestry was severely tested last year by the first economic recession to hit U.S. shores in over a decade. Even before the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, D.C. on Sept. 11 demand for most grades of printing and packaging papers were drifting downward, and the country was falling into recession. Along with declining industry shipments and weak product prices, high energy costs early in the year and a flood of cheap paper imports from Europe pushed many companies into a severe financial crisis.