Economic Indicators

Housing affordability worsens for 12 straight quarters: National Bank

Canadian housing was less affordable in Q2 for the twelfth straight quarter as mortgage interest rates continued to rise, National Bank said on Tuesday. The decline in affordability affected seven out of 10 urban markets, the bank’s Housing Affordability Monitor said, as mortgage interest rates rose for the fourth consecutive quarter. Victoria and Quebec City had the worst deteriorations […]

By Staff |September 4, 2018

1 min read

Economic Indicators

Government panel calls for tax overhaul to fund social finance projects

A government-struck panel is telling the Liberals that federal coffers should dole out hundreds of millions in new spending to unleash unconventional ways of financing key social services. The expert group tasked with coming up with ways to help boost so-called social finance initiatives in Canada said the new spending should be on the same […]

By Jordan Press, The Canadian Press |August 31, 2018

2 min read

Economic Indicators

BoC rate announcement, jobs data coming this week

In the absence of significant changes to the economic picture, the Bank of Canada is expected to hold the interest rate on Wednesday, while the U.S. and Canada are also expected to report continued job growth. National Bank is forecasting the BoC will maintain the overnight rate. After GDP grew at an annualized pace of 2.9% in Q2, the bank […]

By Staff |August 31, 2018

1 min read

Economic Indicators

U.S. consumer spending rises for sixth straight month

U.S. consumer spending rose a solid 0.4% in July

By The Associated Press |August 30, 2018

2 min read

U.S. economy grew at a brisk 4.2% annual rate in Q2

The U.S. economy grew at a strong 4.2% annual rate in the second quarter, the best showing in nearly four years, as growth stayed on track to produce the strongest gain in more than a decade. Strength in business investment offset slightly slower consumer spending. The Commerce Department revised up its estimate of growth in […]

1 min read

U.S., Mexico reach trade ‘understanding’ to overhaul NAFTA: Trump

Editorial note: This story was updated at 2:30 pm EST to add that Canada’s foreign affairs minister will head to Washington to join NAFTA negotiations. Donald Trump said Monday that the United States and Mexico have reached a bilateral trade “understanding” that could lead to an overhaul—or perhaps the termination—of the three-country North American Free […]

3 min read

Investing outlook as U.S.-China trade tensions continue

As global trade tensions continue to take centre stage, there are three events to monitor when it comes to U.S.-China relations, in particular. In a PineBridge Investments post, economist Paul Hsiao says the first event is the comment period for U.S. tariff-related public hearings (ending Sept. 5). His base case is for the hearings to have little […]

By Staff |August 27, 2018

3 min read

Optimism in Canadian automotive sector despite Trump tariff threats

A potential trade deal between the U.S. and Mexico has been greeted with cautious optimism in the Canadian automotive sector despite renewed threats by U.S. President Donald Trump to impose tariffs on the industry. Trump said Monday the U.S. and Mexico had reached a bilateral “understanding” on a trade agreement that could replace the existing […]

3 min read

Canadians’ cannabis spending increases 1.2% in Q2

For investors interested in cannabis, StatsCan figures provide insight on consumption and retail prices, which are increasing and decreasing, respectively. Read: Finding value amid the cannabis confusion Canadian household expenditures on cannabis for both medical and non-medical use increased 1.2% in the second quarter, reports StatsCan. This follows an increase of 1.4% in the first quarter. […]

By Staff |August 27, 2018

2 min read