Softwood log prices across Northern Europe have continued to decline into 2026, extending a correction that began shortly after the market peaked in mid-2025. Further south, in Germany and neighbouring Central European markets, prices remain close to record levels, underlining a widening split across the continent.<\/p>\n
Spruce and pine log prices in Finland, Sweden and Norway peaked between May and July 2025. Since then, prices have eased steadily, with declines of \u20ac5\u201310\/m\u00b3 common across contracts depending on region and assortment.<\/p>\n
Nordic markets: steady erosion<\/strong><\/p>\n In Finland, the correction is visible in official statistics. Spruce sawlogs that were trading near \u20ac85\u201390\/m\u00b3 roadside in early summer 2025 fell to around \u20ac78\/m\u00b3 by December, with pine sawlogs dropping to roughly \u20ac74\/m\u00b3. The decline since the summer peak reaches \u20ac8\u201310\/m\u00b3 depending on species.<\/p>\n Sweden shows a similar pattern. After reaching levels above SEK 1,200\/m\u00b3sub (around \u20ac105\u2013110\/m\u00b3 equivalent) in late 2025, several buyers reduced prices in early 2026 by SEK 30\u2013150\/m\u00b3fub (\u20ac3\u201313\/m\u00b3), reflecting weaker order books and higher log availability.<\/p>\n In Norway, spruce logs moved from above NOK 1,000\/m\u00b3 at the peak in May 2025 to lower levels in early 2026, with traders pointing to softer export demand and more balanced supply.<\/p>\n The direction is consistent: no collapse, but a gradual loss of momentum.<\/p>\n Baltics: firmer, but under pressure<\/strong><\/p>\n The Baltic states\u2014Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania\u2014have held firmer, although the trend has started to turn.<\/p>\n Spruce sawlogs in Estonia have been reported in a broad range of \u20ac75\u201395\/m\u00b3 in early 2026, with pine typically \u20ac65\u201385\/m\u00b3. Prices remain supported by relatively tighter supply compared with the Nordic countries, but mills are increasingly cautious.<\/p>\n Inventories have started to build, and some downward adjustments have already been reported in March and April.<\/p>\n Germany and Central Europe: still near the top<\/strong><\/p>\n Germany presents a different picture.<\/p>\n Spruce sawlogs (B 2b+) reached \u20ac129\u2013132\/m\u00b3 at the start of 2026, the highest levels on record, with pine at \u20ac95\u201398\/m\u00b3.<\/p>\n More recent transactions indicate a wide range of \u20ac125 to above \u20ac145\/m\u00b3 depending on region and quality.<\/p>\n These levels are roughly \u20ac40\u201360\/m\u00b3 above typical Nordic roadside prices, illustrating the scale of the divergence.<\/p>\n The reasons are structural. Central Europe has faced a shortage of fresh industrial logs following the decline of beetle-damaged wood. Sawmills have had to compete aggressively for supply, pushing prices higher even as downstream lumber markets showed only limited improvement.<\/p>\n In southern Germany and Austria, spruce prices around \u20ac120\u2013135\/m\u00b3 were already common in late 2025, with further increases agreed into early 2026 contracts.<\/p>\n Supply shock in the North<\/strong><\/p>\n Northern Europe, by contrast, has moved in the opposite direction partly due to supply.<\/p>\n Storm events in Sweden in early 2026 added close to 2 million m\u00b3 of damaged wood to the market. Combined with lower sawmill consumption, this eased the tightness that had supported prices in 2024\u20132025.<\/p>\n Export exposure has amplified the effect. Nordic producers are more dependent on overseas demand, particularly in Asia. When global lumber trade slowed in late 2025, the impact was felt first in Finland and Sweden.<\/p>\n Demand remains the missing element<\/strong><\/p>\n Across all regions, the same issue persists: demand.<\/p>\n European lumber markets have shown only limited movement in early 2026, with prices largely stable and construction activity still subdued.<\/p>\n Sawmills are waiting for stronger orders after Easter. Without that, log prices in the north are likely to remain under pressure, while Central Europe may struggle to sustain current levels if buying interest weakens.<\/p>\n For now, Europe\u2019s log market is split in two.<\/p>\n In the north, prices are adjusting downward, slowly and without urgency.
\nIn Germany and parts of Central Europe, they remain high, supported by scarcity rather than strength.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n \nCountry\/Region<\/th>\n Species<\/th>\n Peak 2025 (approx.)<\/th>\n Early 2026 (approx.)<\/th>\n Trend<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n \n Finlanda<\/td>\n Spruce sawlogs<\/td>\n \u20ac85\u201390\/m\u00b3<\/td>\n ~\u20ac78\/m\u00b3<\/td>\n \u2193 -\u20ac8 to -\u20ac10<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Finlanda<\/td>\n Pine sawlogs<\/td>\n ~\u20ac82\u201385\/m\u00b3<\/td>\n ~\u20ac74\/m\u00b3<\/td>\n \u2193 -\u20ac8 to -\u20ac10<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Sweden<\/td>\n Spruce sawlogs<\/td>\n ~\u20ac105\u2013110\/m\u00b3<\/td>\n \u20ac95\u2013105\/m\u00b3<\/td>\n \u2193 -\u20ac3 to -\u20ac13<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Norway<\/td>\n Spruce sawlogs<\/td>\n >\u20ac90\/m\u00b3<\/td>\n \u20ac80\u201390\/m\u00b3<\/td>\n \u2193 moderate<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Estonia (Baltics)<\/td>\n Spruce sawlogs<\/td>\n \u20ac85\u2013100\/m\u00b3<\/td>\n \u20ac75\u201395\/m\u00b3<\/td>\n \u2192 \/ slight \u2193<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Estonia (Baltics)<\/td>\n Pine sawlogs<\/td>\n \u20ac75\u201390\/m\u00b3<\/td>\n \u20ac65\u201385\/m\u00b3<\/td>\n \u2193 slight<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Germania<\/td>\n Spruce sawlogs (B 2b+)<\/td>\n \u20ac120\u2013135\/m\u00b3<\/td>\n \u20ac125\u2013145\/m\u00b3<\/td>\n \u2191 \/ stable high<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Germania<\/td>\n Pine sawlogs<\/td>\n \u20ac85\u201395\/m\u00b3<\/td>\n \u20ac95\u2013100\/m\u00b3<\/td>\n \u2191 slight<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":98516,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"Default","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5204],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-98515","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-daily-news"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n