U.S. newsprint still soft, producers work through part of price hike

摘要

American newsprint demand continued to be less than robust this year because of an unprecedented two-year decline in U.S. advertising, as well as inconsistent U.S. economic growth. U.S. daily newspaper publishers, which buy about 80% of the newsprint made in North America. saw 30-lb (or 48.8-gram) standard newsprint prices for their key material drop from a high of US625/mton in June 2001 to US445/mton in July this year. Prices pushed up for the first time in 18 months in September by US20/mton and by another US15/mton in October. Still, demand for newsprint remained soft. Year-to-date through September this year, total U.S. newsprint consumption was 6.2 million mtons-down 2.1% when compared with consumption through September last year. InCanada, year-to-date through September, consumption totaled 821,000 mtons-down 8.4%.