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NEWSPRINT STATS: NUMBERS UP A LITTLE FROM LAST YEAR

MONTREAL, QC — The Pulp and Paper Products Council said that the North American newsprint industry operated at 97% capacity in April, compared to 94% for April 1999. Total shipments increased by 0.1% compared to the same period last year. Deliveries to the US are up 4.7%, whereas shipments to Canada and overseas decreased 4% and 13.6%, respectively. On April 30, 2000, North American producers held 420 000 tonnes in inventory, down 190 000 tonnes from April 1999. In the US, daily newspapers increased their consumption by 3.1% compared to April 1999, and total US consumption grew 4.4% to hit 1.083-million tonnes. On April 30, 2000, US dailies held 917 000 tonnes in inventory, down 63 000 tonnes from April 1999 — equivalent to 35 days of supply.