Black Pink fandom, music video nostalgia, and why hawkish is apparently the Fed’s favorite bird. This week on Lumber Slingers, we cover a packed news cycle-starting with pop culture and ending deep in the lumber markets.

We break down the surprise nomination of Kevin Warsh as the next Fed Chair, what his historically hawkish stance could mean for inflation and interest rates, and why the Fed’s decision to hold rates steady still leaves housing in limbo. Mortgage rates hover just above 6%, applications are down, and everyone’s waiting for a real catalyst.

On the lumber side, consolidation continues at full speed. We also highlight key leadership appointments across the industry and preview earnings season, including Weyerhaeuser’s latest results.

To wrap it up, we check in on lumber pricing momentum, which continues to trend upward month-over-month—suggesting demand may be firmer than expected heading into February. Lets be optimistic!