Market Insights

Decorative pattern

Economic Indicators

Commodities rally continues

It may come as no surprise, but 2010 was a very strong year for commodity prices. How strong? The Scotiabank Commodity Price Index, which tracks the price of 32 commodities, surged 17.8% on the year. The index capped the year with a hefty month-over-month gain of 5.5% in December. Since the cyclical low, reached in […]

By Steven Lamb |January 27, 2011

3 min read

Decorative pattern

Economic Indicators

U.S. equities hold promise: Laurentian Bank

The U.S. economy is strengthening and will set the tone for the global investment landscape in 2011, according to the chief economist of Laurentian Bank. “Two significant events occurred at the end of 2010 that generated significant momentum for the American economy,” says Carlos Leitao, pointing to the second wave of quantitative easing and the […]

By Steven Lamb |January 27, 2011

2 min read

Decorative pattern

Industry

Investors frozen like deer in headlights

If you needed reassurance that Canadians do, in fact, need financial advice, it’s here. Despite a dominant belief that now is a good time to invest, Canadians are wary of entering the market. A new survey commissioned by Franklin Templeton Investments finds that bullish sentiment outweighs bearish sentiment by a ratio of 4-to-1. Yet more […]

By Steven Lamb |January 27, 2011

2 min read

Decorative pattern

Industry

North America stocks to shine in 2011

Having climbed the wall of worry in 2010, the North America equity market is looking at a promising year ahead where new opportunities abound. Several specific factors are expected to produce positive returns for equities, so stay the course, said Jeffery Tory, chairman GBC Asset Management and portfolio manager at Pembroke Management Limited. “It was […]

By Vikram Barhat |January 26, 2011

4 min read