The latest piece of hard economic data has market watchers looking to see how the Bank of Canada will react. The January employment numbers show the economy added a stunning 150,000 jobs.  That is 10-times what was forecast and is the second out-sized reading in a row.  December saw a downwardly revised total of 69,000 […]

The Bank of Canada’s trend-setting policy rate is fixed until March, and the Bank’s leadership is proclaiming a “conditional pause” in the rate-hiking cycle.  That has led to a growing notion that interest rate cuts are coming.  Some forecasts say the Bank could pivot from raising, to lowering, by the end of the year. Financial […]

As expected the Bank of Canada increased its benchmark policy rate for an 8th straight setting.  It now stands at 4.50%.  The 25 basis-point boost was the smallest in this vigorous cycle which started pushing up rates back in March 2022.  This is being taken as a sign that the central bank is satisfied with […]

The latest cost of living and employment numbers make it clear the Bank of Canada still has work to do in its fight against inflation. The Consumer Price Index (headline inflation) did slow to 6.3% in December, from 6.8% in November, but it is still well above the Bank’s target rate of 2.0%.  Food and […]

Canada’s big cities are getting bigger and more expensive even as tens-of-thousands of people leave them, for more affordable lifestyles elsewhere.  A key factor in the expense and the migration is the cost of housing. According to Statistics Canada nearly 100,000 people left the Toronto area in the 12-month period from July 1, 2021 to […]

When it comes to saving money, there are a lot of little things you can do that add up to make a big difference! Here are 10 of our favourite money-saving tips: Automatic savings are one of the most effective ways to save because you can’t spend what you can’t access! Instruct your employer to […]

I wish each and every one of you a very Merry Christmas this holiday season. I hope you will be with family and be able to share some special moments and memories. These past 2 years have been nothing less than extraordinary and so I hope you can find time to pause and enjoy family […]

The Bank of Canada has offered only the slightest hint about what it plans to do next.  In the statement that accompanied last week’s 50 basis-point increase in the Policy Rate the Bank said it “will be considering whether the policy interest rate needs to rise further to bring supply and demand back into balance […]

With inflation running at generational highs and interest rates on the rise many debt-strapped Canadians are struggling to reorganize their finances. A recent survey sponsored by FP Canada (an organization that represents and promotes professional financial planners) suggests “unconscious spending” can be an obstacle to a sound, workable household budget. Unconscious spending involves purchases that […]

BMO Financial Group posted net income of $4.48 billion in its fourth quarter, a sizeable increase from the same time last year thanks in large part to the one-time gain as a result of its acquisition of Bank of the West. The bank’s fourth-quarter profit rose from $2.16 billion the same time last year, with […]