<B>Norscan Pulp Inventories Jump in August</B>

Producers' stocks of long-fiber wood pulp in North America, Finland and Sweden rose to almost 1.41 million metric tons last month, up 159,000 metric tons from end-July, according to Reuters.

The August rise in North America and Scandinavian pulp stocks followed a jump of 185,000 metric tons in July and a drop of 128,000 metric tons in June. Despite the increase in July-August, stocks remain historically low.

Canadian producers' market pulp stocks rose 62,000 metric tons to 569,000 metric tons,

and U.S. pulp inventories climbed 80,000 metric tons to 542,000 metric tons.

The total end-August Norscan inventory level of 1,407,000 metric tons corresponded to 22 days' production, up from about 20-21 days' output at end-July.

Prices for long-fiber bleached pulp, the main Nordic and North American grade, have leveled off at $710 per metric tons since mid-July after rising 54 percent from end-1999 levels of $460 per metric tons.