Canada Economics Update Bank of Canada retains neutral bias The Bank of Canada retained its neutral rate bias in its latest policy statement and emphasised that, although core inflation has turned out slightly firmer than expected, it is more concerned than... 4th June 2014 · 1 min read
Canada Economics Update Low quality jobs and rising prices constrain spending February's payroll figures suggest that nominal wages and salaries growth slowed in the first quarter and discouraging job quality trends suggest that wages might not improve much in this quarter... 29th April 2014 · 1 min read
Canada Economics Update Bank of Canada retains neutral bias The Bank of Canada retained its neutral rate bias in its latest policy statement and emphasised that, despite the lower Canadian dollar, core inflation will still take about two years to return to... 16th April 2014 · 1 min read
Canada Economics Update Housing downturn will drag on for much longer The recent slowdown in housing starts is just the beginning of a long-term correction that will dampen economic growth this year and next. If, as we expect, new home sales soften further, in response... 8th April 2014 · 1 min read
Canada Economics Update Business confidence improves amidst uncertain outlook The modest improvement evident in the Bank of Canada's spring Business Outlook Survey is an encouraging sign, but doubts remain about the near-term outlook for exports and softening domestic demand... 7th April 2014 · 1 min read
Canada Economics Update Quebec might do better with its own currency Pauline Marois, leader of the separatist Parti Quebecois (PQ), has suggested that an independent Quebec could hold a seat on the governing council of the Bank of Canada and retain the Canadian dollar... 19th March 2014 · 1 min read
Canada Economics Update Bank of Canada maintains neutral bias Although the Bank of Canada left its policy rate unchanged at 1.0% today and maintained its neutral bias, we suspect that the emphasis on the recent rebound in inflation in the accompanying statement... 5th March 2014 · 1 min read
Canada Economics Update Investment intentions remain muted The 2014 annual investment intentions survey, which points to another very modest gain in business investment this year, will come as a blow to the Bank of Canada. The Bank is still hoping for a... 26th February 2014 · 1 min read
Canada Economics Update Federal government will need every bit of extra fiscal room It seems almost certain now that the Federal government will meet its timetable for eliminating the budget deficit before fiscal year 2015-16, which will give it the wiggle room it needed to deliver... 11th February 2014 · 1 min read
Canada Economics Update Canadian dollar still too high to energise economy The recent slide in the Canadian dollar doesn't greatly improve Canada's economic prospects. The sharp decline looks overdone in our mind and we wouldn't be surprised to see a rebound, at least a... 5th February 2014 · 1 min read
Canada Economics Update Stronger wages and salaries growth unlikely to last The recent non-farm payroll figures suggest that wages and salaries growth continued to accelerate in the fourth quarter, which should have helped support stronger consumption growth. 31st January 2014 · 1 min read
Canada Economics Update Bank of Canada slightly more dovish than before Although it stopped short of adopting an easing bias, the Bank of Canada's policy statement revealed that it is more concerned than before about persistently low inflation. With the long awaited... 22nd January 2014 · 1 min read
Canada Economics Update Declining home sales to constrain economic growth The third consecutive monthly decline in existing home sales in December provides more evidence that the earlier surge seen last summer was mainly a pulling forward of home purchases in response to... 15th January 2014 · 1 min read
Canada Economics Update Businesses still remain in cautious mood The Bank of Canada's latest business outlook survey shows some welcome improvement in investment and hiring intentions but, despite the Canadian dollar's recent decline and stronger sales expectations... 13th January 2014 · 1 min read
Canada Economics Update Housing will become a drag on economy next year While the recent condo-driven pick-up in housing starts will provide a boost to fourth-quarter residential investment, the slump in new home sales suggests it will be reversed next year, making... 9th December 2013 · 1 min read
Canada Economics Update Bank of Canada shuffling closer to a rate cut Although the Bank of Canada maintained its neutral stance as expected, its policy statement showed that it does have more concerns about the growth and inflation outlook, just not enough right now to... 4th December 2013 · 1 min read
