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Market Update All index returns are total return (includes reinvestment of dividends) and are in Canadian Dollars unless noted. Sources: *Sources: MSCI, FTSE, TMX, S&P The third quarter of 2024 was an uncharacteristically strong one, with most equity and fixed income markets producing strong returns. The third quarter is historically the weakest quarter of the year, with September being the […]
Market Update All index returns are total return (includes reinvestment of dividends) and are in Canadian Dollars unless noted. Sources: *Sources: MSCI, FTSE, TMX, S&P The second quarter of 2024 was a mixed one, most equity market indexes were positive, with some exceptions. Canadian stocks were mostly down for the quarter, with the S&P/TSX Composite Index losing -0.5% for the […]
Commentary As expected, the Bank of Canada left the benchmark rate at 5% at their last meeting and maintained the stance that it needs to see further progress that inflation is on the right path. Results from the Bank of Canada’s Q4 Business Outlook Survey released in January showed that high interest rates continue to soften consumer demand, but firms […]
Commentary Results from the Bank of Canada’s Q3 Business Outlook Survey released in October showed business sentiment was weak with high interest rates expected to weigh on consumer demand. Q3 GDP released at the end of November showed the economy contracted at a -1.1% annualized pace in the third quarter, wiping out most of the Q2 revised +1.4% increase. Many […]
Commentary Q2 GDP released in August showed the Canadian economy unexpectedly contracted at an annualized pace of 0.2%, much weaker than projections of more than 1% growth. Preliminary GDP data for Q3 also shows little growth. This suggests that rate hikes are starting to work. After a hike of 0.25% in July, the Bank of Canada left rates unchanged […]
Commentary Encouraging inflation data created a note of optimism that this interest rate tightening cycle is peaking. The narrative is how central banks can engineer a so-called Goldilocks scenario of cooling the economy without mis-stepping and becoming overly restrictive. Not too hot, not too cold. The concern is that inflation becomes ingrained and lasts longer than expected. Soft landing, hard […]
Commentary The second quarter of 2023 saw confidence return to the US banking system with volatility receding, putting the spotlight back on inflation and central bank rate increases. The Bank of Canada (BoC) increased the benchmark interest rate in June by 0.25% after holding steady in March and April. Many had expected the rate rises to end at 4.75% but […]
Commentary In Q1, US-based Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) and Signature Bank experienced bank runs as clients withdrew billions of dollars in deposits. Those were the 2nd and 3rd largest banks to fail in US history (neither were in the top 10 largest banks though). Then one of the largest Swiss banks, Credit Suisse, was forced to merge with UBS […]