Lumber futures were near $600 per thousand board in May, not far from the highest level in over one month, as tight supply offset muted activity in the housing sector. The US lumber market remained in in a tight supply backdrop as domestic production has not expanded fast enough to make up for the drop in Canadian imports following the tariffs on Canada. The latest data indicated that Canada still accounted for up to 30% of domestic supply. The US Commerce Department recently proposed reducing combined duties on Canadian lumber to 24.8% from 35.2%, but an additional 10% Section 232 tariff keeps the effective burden near 35%. On top of that, wildfires and production disruptions in Canada magnified an already tight availability of wood, as British Columbia recently introduced emergency measures to boost timber availability after wildfire and storm damage threatened output.

Lumber rose to 585.50 USD/1000 board feet on May 22, 2026, up 0.26% from the previous day. Over the past month, Lumber's price has risen 0.34%, but it is still 2.27% lower than a year ago, according to trading on a contract for difference (CFD) that tracks the benchmark market for this commodity. Historically, Lumber reached an all time high of 1711.20 in May of 2021. Lumber - data, forecasts, historical chart - was last updated on May 23 of 2026.

Lumber rose to 585.50 USD/1000 board feet on May 22, 2026, up 0.26% from the previous day. Over the past month, Lumber's price has risen 0.34%, but it is still 2.27% lower than a year ago, according to trading on a contract for difference (CFD) that tracks the benchmark market for this commodity. Lumber is expected to trade at 582.17 USD/1000 board feet by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. Looking forward, we estimate it to trade at 536.23 in 12 months time.



Price Day Month Year Date
Soybeans 1,197.25 3.00 0.25% 3.23% 12.92% May/22
Wheat 647.00 -0.50 -0.08% 5.94% 19.26% May/22
Lumber 585.50 1.50 0.26% 0.34% -2.27% May/22
Cheese 1.62 -0.0020 -0.12% -3.46% -12.22% May/22
Palm Oil 4,486.00 28.00 0.63% -2.03% 17.22% May/22
Milk 16.92 0 0% 0.42% -8.93% May/22
Cocoa 3,816.75 49.75 1.32% 10.37% -61.11% May/22
Cotton 77.33 -0.648 -0.83% -2.67% 17.09% May/22
Rubber 220.80 -1.20 -0.54% 5.54% 30.27% May/22
Orange Juice 167.36 0.76 0.45% -0.26% -38.73% May/22
Coffee 271.56 -1.84 -0.67% -9.58% -24.52% May/22
Oat 366.00 5.5000 1.53% 14.20% 3.17% May/22
Wool 1,880.00 0 0% -0.79% 56.28% May/22
Rice 12.99 -0.0200 -0.15% 17.88% -1.40% May/22
Canola 750.45 -0.35 -0.05% 1.52% 4.71% May/22
Sugar 14.67 -0.23 -1.54% 5.62% -15.26% May/22
Corn 463.51 1.2646 0.27% 1.76% 0.87% May/22


Lumber
Lumber is a key construction material produced from processed wood and widely used in residential building, infrastructure, and manufacturing. As a result, lumber prices are closely tied to housing activity, economic cycles, and supply conditions in forestry markets. Lumber futures are traded on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) and are used by producers, builders, and investors to manage price risk. Contract specifications require that lumber be produced in approved regions of the United States and Canada, reflecting the importance of North American supply in global markets. Production is heavily concentrated in North America and the Baltic Sea region, where forestry resources and processing capacity support large-scale output. Lumber prices displayed on Trading Economics are based on over-the-counter (OTC) and contract for difference (CFD) financial instruments and are intended to provide a general market reference only. These prices do not represent official benchmark prices. The data is supplied by a third party and, while efforts are made to ensure its reliability, Trading Economics does not verify the data and makes no representations or warranties.
Actual Previous Highest Lowest Dates Unit Frequency
585.50 584.00 1711.20 -1.00 1978 - 2026 USD/1000 board feet Daily

News Stream
Lumber Near One-Month High
Lumber futures were near $600 per thousand board in May, not far from the highest level in over one month, as tight supply offset muted activity in the housing sector. The US lumber market remained in in a tight supply backdrop as domestic production has not expanded fast enough to make up for the drop in Canadian imports following the tariffs on Canada. The latest data indicated that Canada still accounted for up to 30% of domestic supply. The US Commerce Department recently proposed reducing combined duties on Canadian lumber to 24.8% from 35.2%, but an additional 10% Section 232 tariff keeps the effective burden near 35%. On top of that, wildfires and production disruptions in Canada magnified an already tight availability of wood, as British Columbia recently introduced emergency measures to boost timber availability after wildfire and storm damage threatened output.
2026-05-20
Lumber Hits 5-week High
Lumber increased to 593.50 USD/1000 board feet, the highest since April 2026. Over the past 4 weeks, Lumber gained 1.38%, and in the last 12 months, it decreased 2%.
2026-05-15
Lumber Futures Remain Below $600
Lumber futures have been trading below $600 per thousand board feet since early April, as weaker consumer sentiment and uncertainty surrounding developments in the Middle East weigh on demand. At the same time, supply constraints in several regions have partially offset the decline in demand. Profitability for Canadian mills remains under pressure from elevated duties and tariffs. The US has recently outlined preliminary antidumping and countervailing duties on Canadian softwood lumber, with the antidumping rate reduced from 20.6% to 10.7% and the countervailing duty trimmed from 14.6% to 14.2%, bringing the combined rate to about 25.9%. Including an existing 10% Section 232 tariff, total effective duties on Canadian imports are expected to remain near 35.9% once they take effect in August. Despite these measures aimed at supporting domestic producers, US sawmill utilisation remains relatively weak at around 64%, with capacity use trending lower since 2017.
2026-05-05