Category Archives: Blog

U.S. Factory Orders Fall in May for Second Consecutive Month

Weak Economic Data and Geopolitical Tensions

U.S. Factory Orders Fall More Than Expected New orders at U.S. factories fell more than expected in May. This is causing concern over the strength of the manufacturing sector, since manufacturing is responsible for around 12% of the U.S. economy. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. factory orders fell by a seasonally adjusted 0.8% […]

Loonie Strengthens Against Greenback as Bank of Canada Hints at Rate Hike

Stock Market Data

Loonie Climbs as Canadian Economy Strengthens The Canadian loonie has been rebounding against the U.S. dollar after reporting solid first quarter gross domestic product (GDP) data and hints from the Bank of Canada that a rate hike could be just around the corner. While this suggests the Canadian economy is improving, there is a downside. […]

Home Capital Group’s Share Price Rebounds After $30.5 Million Settlement with OSC

Weak Economic Data and Geopolitical Tensions

Settlement Generates Confidence in Subprime Mortgages Home Capital Group surprised the markets when it announced it reached a settlement to pay $30.5 million to settle allegations from the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) and a class-action lawsuit.1 The move should help save the beleaguered mortgage lender and breathe life back into the subprime mortgage industry. On […]

Oil Prices Slide Despite Production Cuts from Saudi Arabia and Russia

Weak Economic Data and Geopolitical Tensions

Oil Prices Slide as Supply Glut Remains While many expected oil prices to rebound after Saudi Arabia and Russia announced in May 2017 plans to extend their production cuts initially announced in November 2016,0 this simply hasn’t happened. Since Saudi Arabia and Russia announced plans to extend oil production cuts in May, crude prices have […]

Dow at Record Levels as Markets Shrug off Weak Economic Data and Geopolitical Tensions

Stock Markets Data

Stocks at Record Levels Despite Fears of a Recession On June 2, 2017, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (Dow) reached a record high closing level of 21,206.29. It was also the first intraday record (21,225.04) since March 1, 2017. On top of that, it was the second consecutive day in which the Dow notched up […]

George Soros’s Short Bets Suggest a Stock Market Collapse

Investors Complacent

Soros Takes Bearish Position; Bets Stock Market Will Tumble George Soros, the founder of the $4.5-billion Soros Fund Management LLC, is betting the stock market is going to fall. Soros does not believe U.S. stocks can sustain the Trump rally and expects the S&P 500 and broader markets, which are at record levels, to experience […]

S&P 500 Tops 2,400: Investors Complacent, But Correction Looms

S&P 500 Tops 2,400

Volatility Low as Concerns of a Stock Market Crash Soars The S&P 500 continues to trade near record levels and market volatility is near record lows despite a raft of indicators suggesting the current bull-market is in jeopardy. Investors have become complacent, stocks are significantly overvalued, and history points to a major stock market correction. […]

What Happens to Canadian Banks and Mortgage Companies if the Real Estate Bubble Pops?

Canadian Banks and Mortgage

The Canadian Real Estate Bubble Canada’s housing market is red hot; it’s so hot that many believe that the country is in a housing bubble. Should that real estate bubble break, like it did in the U.S. in 2008, what will happen to Canadian banks and private lenders with a large exposure to the housing […]