Comments from August 21, 2026.

While increases to green #2A&3A Red Oak prices represented major news in the South this week, market conditions for area hardwood lumber were described by two contacts as “the dog days of summer.” Speaking with contacts, HMR/Fastmarkets noticed conversations tended to gravitate back to two topics: the high cost of freight due to the ongoing US conflict with Iran, and the recent slowdown in international purchasing, particularly from Asia.

ASH: Prices for green 4/4 Fas&1f Ash continue to rise in the South. Reported prices lead to the second consecutive week of upward movement, drawing published prices for green 4/4 Fas&1f Ash level with those in the Appalachian region. Historically, prices for the items run closely together in the two areas, though Appalachian prices had pulled away for most of 2026. The listings for green 4/4 and 5/4 #2A also rise. On the kiln dried side, the lower ends of the ranges for 8/4 #1C rise, while the list prices for 8/4 #2A fall.

#2A&3A OAK: After a sluggish few months for the #2A&3A Oak market, this edition carries some notable news. Reported prices drive increases to the green 4/4 through 6/4 #2A&3A Red Oak listings. The uptick is due to increased demand from flooring plants that had been strictly controlling purchases for most the year. While the listings for #2A&3A White Oak remain intact, the Red Oak increases come as welcome news for Southern sawmill operators who, along with the previous slowdown in flooring plant purchasing, have had to deal with challenging tie and cant markets.

RED OAK: Outside the increases to green #2A&3A Red Oak, markets for this species remain quiet in the South. The drop-off in international purchasing is seen as a major driving factor for this, while domestic demand is still sluggish. “Kiln dried 4/4 Fas is bad,” one Southern contact said. “I still get #1C orders from Vietnam, so I’m hanging in there with those.” The listings for green 5/4 Fas&1f increase, while drops to the upper ends of the ranges for 4/4 Fas represent the only changes for kiln dried stock.

WHITE OAK: Ongoing weakness in international demand for Southern White Oak continues as a major talking point in conversations with area exporters. While there is no price movement for green stock this week, there are a host of changes for kiln dried White Oak. Reported prices necessitate decreases to the listings for 4/4 #1C, 5/4 #1C, and 4/4 #2A. The upper ends of the ranges for 4/4 Fas and the lower ends for 4/4 #1C and 5/4 #1C also fall. While there isn’t a lot of enthusiasm for the species right now, one area hardwood seller expressed some hope. “We got a good price for a load of kiln dried 4/4 Fas the other day,” he said. “Maybe we’ve reached a floor on it.”

PECAN & HICKORY: Supply and demand for Pecan & Hickory are well balanced in the Southern region. Secondary manufacturers are known to be purchasing the species, but production is sufficient to meet demand and keep prices at previous levels.

POPLAR: There was a noticeable cooling off for green and kiln dried Poplar to start 2026. A decline in international demand, especially from China and Vietnam, played a big role in this. This summer, the Southern market for the species has reached an even balance of consumption and production. Sawmill contacts have mentioned Poplar less frequently of late. When they do, “nothing exciting” is a typical response when asked how it is performing. There are no changes for green Poplar this week, and for kiln dried, only the top ends of the 4/4 Fas ranges advance.

BOARD ROAD, FRAMESTOCK, CANTS & TIES: Crosstie quotas remain firm on both sides of the Mississippi River, as railway purchases of ties continue to be restricted thanks to larger-than-usual inventories and pre-merger spending restrictions. Reported prices drive decreases to the upper ends of both the Eastern and Western tie ranges, as the challenging year for Southern sawmills cutting ties continues.

Contacts keep talking up the strength of area mat timber, crane mat, and board road markets, though the board road listing and range are unchanged in this edition. The ranges for Oak and Mixed framestock remain intact as well.

The listing and range for Southern pallet cants hold steady this week despite firming in other hardwood-producing regions. “Cants are all some guys can move right now,” one Southern seller told HMR/Fastmarkets. “Hopefully prices stay firm; I wouldn’t be surprised if they dropped some due to most mills having to shift production heavily to cants.”