German timber sector grows more cautious despite stabilising sentiment

Business sentiment across the German timber industry showed signs of stabilising in April after six consecutive months of decline, but companies remain increasingly concerned about the second half of the year as rising energy costs, expensive raw materials and geopolitical tensions continue to weigh on the market. According to the latest business climate indicator published by Hauptverband der Deutschen Holzindustrie (HDH), companies assessed their current business situation slightly more positively than in March, although expectations for the coming six months deteriorated further. The composite indicator improved marginally to minus 30.1 points from minus 31.7 in March ...