Bowater Slated to Raise Newsprint Prices

Bowater Inc., North America's No. 2 newsprint maker, said it will increase its newsprint price April 1. The announcement follows Abitibi-Consolidated's announcement earlier this year to raise prices for newsprint.

Abitibi-Consolidated announced plans to raise its newsprint prices by $50 a metric ton April 1. If the increase holds it would be an increase of around 10 percent from the present newsprint price.

Newsprint prices are recovering from a 15 percent drop that occurred last year because an Abitibi strike settlement in late 1998 put more newsprint on the market. Prices have recovered by about 7 percent since June because of

the Asian economic rebound and fewer newsprint imports to North America, the companies said.