US Housing Market Data Response Mortgage Applications (Dec.) After a brief dip due to concerns over the Omicron variant, both the 10-year Treasury yield and 30-year mortgage rate have since resumed their upward trends, with the latter rising to a nine-month... 5th January 2022 · 2 mins read
US Data Response ISM Manufacturing Index (Dec.) The ISM manufacturing index suggests that the pace of industrial activity growth remained reasonably solid at the end of last year, but the survey came too early to capture the potentially significant... 4th January 2022 · 2 mins read
US Employment Report Preview Payroll growth slowing ahead of Omicron hit The chaos caused by the rapid spread of the Omicron variant came too late to have much effect on December payrolls, which we estimate increased by a healthy 350,000. But the huge numbers of people... 4th January 2022 · 3 mins read
US Commercial Property Outlook Major Office Markets Outlook (Q4 2021) Our stronger national office forecast this quarter mean upgrades to all six major markets. The largest of those uplifts is in Boston, which has seen a sharp rise up the rankings and where we expect... 23rd December 2021 · 15 mins read
Canada Chart Pack Restrictions to weigh on first-quarter GDP growth The economy gained momentum at the start of the fourth quarter and we have revised up our forecast for fourth-quarter GDP growth to 5.5% annualised, from 4.0%. Given the rapidly deteriorating... 23rd December 2021 · 8 mins read
US Housing Market Data Response New Home Sales (Nov.) The healthy rise in new home sales in November primarily reflected a downward revision to the previous month’s reading. Nevertheless, new sales activity is still elevated compared to its pre-COVID-19... 23rd December 2021 · 2 mins read
US Data Response Personal Income & Spending, Durable Goods (Nov.) The November durable goods and income & spending data are consistent with our estimate that fourth-quarter GDP growth was 6.5% annualised, but point to a slowdown in early 2022. 23rd December 2021 · 2 mins read
Canada Data Response GDP by Industry (Oct.) The strong rise in GDP in October and preliminary estimate of another solid gain in November imply that fourth quarter GDP growth will be stronger than the Bank of Canada anticipated, and means the... 23rd December 2021 · 2 mins read
Energy Data Response US Weekly Petroleum Status Report Commercial crude oil stocks fell sharply last week for the fourth week in a row. That was despite demand for oil products dropping back in line with the seasonal average. Early indicators suggest... 22nd December 2021 · 2 mins read
US Housing Market Data Response Existing Home Sales (Nov.) Existing home sales continued to climb higher in November, leaving sales just short of their peak last year. But we expect a tight inventory and stretched affordability as mortgage rates rise to weigh... 22nd December 2021 · 2 mins read
Asset Allocation Chart Pack We doubt that 2022-23 will be as rewarding as 2021 2021 is on course to be a relatively good year for most investors. Admittedly, it has not been entirely without its casualties. Equities in China and much of Latin America, for example, have struggled... 21st December 2021 · 11 mins read
US Chart Pack Winter virus wave to slow economic momentum The Omicron variant has supercharged the seasonal wave of virus cases sweeping parts of the US, adding to the existing headwinds to consumption growth over the coming months. In contrast to... 21st December 2021 · 9 mins read
Canada Economics Update Restrictions may not derail Bank’s tightening plans The closure of many high-contact services in Quebec yesterday is likely to soon be matched by tighter coronavirus restrictions elsewhere. That said, if other provinces also allow stores and... 21st December 2021 · 3 mins read
Canada Data Response Retail Sales (Oct.) Retail sales rose strongly in October and the preliminary estimate points to another solid gain in November. That is likely to mark the peak for the next few months, however, as the rapidly... 21st December 2021 · 2 mins read
Asset Allocation Update Revisiting our forecasts in light of the Fed After taking on board the Federal Reserve’s recent hawkish pivot, we now forecast that the central bank will raise its policy rate much more quickly than we had previously anticipated. This Update... 17th December 2021 · 3 mins read
US Housing Market Outlook Major Apartment Markets Outlook (Q4 2021) Apartment markets in major coastal cities underperformed the national average in 2021, as they were more heavily impacted by lockdowns and the move of some households to cheaper, sunbelt cities. But... 17th December 2021 · 8 mins read
