The U.S. Commerce Department has made preliminary antidumping duty decisions of 5% to 8% against Canadian softwood lumber exports. A final ruling is due by September 6. In the meantime a new softwood lumber agreement between the two countries could be reached as part of NAFTA renegotiation preparations. Exports have already begun to fall. Shipments by sea from the big five Canadian producers fell 17% in May vs. April and are 35% below their October peaks. Resolute FP (which has the lowest duty applied) bucked the trend with a doubling in exports since October.