Newsprint Consumption Up Slightly In June

By: U.S. daily newspapers used 693,000 metric tons of newsprint in June, only 5,000 tons more than a year earlier. The increase of 0.7% is the first in 2002.

Preliminary figures from the Newspaper Association of America show consumption for July was 1.9% lower than July 2001.

Publishers' June newsprint stocks amounted to 869,000 tons, a 37-day supply. Preliminary July figures show stocks of 909,000 tons, a 40-day supply. The inventories' year-to-year decline continues to shrink, from 21.6% in March to the 13.3% projected for July.