Category Archives: Blog

Wall Street Near Record Levels

TSX Expected to Hit New Milestone Later in 2024

The year 2023 defied expectations for Bay Street and Wall Street. Despite stubbornly high inflation and decades-high interest rates, the U.S. stock market closed out the year with one of its best performances. The S&P 500 advanced 24%, its longest winning streak since 2004, while the Nasdaq soared more than 43%, its highest annual gain […]

TSX On a Tear, Up 12% Since November. But Is It Justified?

TSX Up 12% Since November

Between January 1 and October 31, 2023, the TSX lost 3.3% of its value. But from November 1, 2023 to January 31, 2024, the TSX has rallied an impressive 12.2%. And the long-term outlook for the TSX remains bullish. But investors may be getting ahead of themselves. Why Is the TSX Doing So Well? On […]

Bank of Canada Done With Rate Hikes, But When Is First Interest Rate Cut Coming?

Bank of Canada Interest Rate Hikes

The Bank of Canada held its key lending interest rate at 5% for the fourth consecutive meeting. Of particular note, the central bank said, for the first time, that it won’t raise interest rates again if the economy moves in line with forecasts. “If the economy evolves broadly in line with the projection we published […]

Canadian Inflation Rises 3.4% in December—How Will the Bank of Canada Respond?

Canadian Inflation Rises

Statistics Canada announced that the country’s inflation rate in December ticked up to 3.4%, which is up from 3.1% in November. The increase was fueled due to gas prices and higher prices at grocery stores. Grocery prices held pat at 4.7% while prices at restaurants have risen by 5.6% over the last year. Housing prices […]

U.S. Inflation Unexpectedly Heats Up in December, But Rate Cuts Still Expected

U.S. Inflation

The December Consumer Price Index, or CPI, which measures U.S. inflation, rose 0.3% month over month. to 3.4%. This is up from a November reading of 3.1% and higher than the 0.2% month-over-month increase and 3.2% annual reading economist’s were expecting. Housing costs were responsible for more than half of the increase in prices followed […]

Canada 2024: A Technical Recession, Rate Cuts, and the TSX

Canadian-Economy-in-2024

A lot can change in a year. In January 2023, Canada’s inflation rate stood at 5.9%, the Bank of Canada increased its overnight lending rate to 4.25%, and the TSX closed out 2022 down 1.25%. Fast forward to January 2024, and the inflation rate is down, but still too high at 3.1%, the overnight lending […]

Canada’s Inflation Slows to 3.1% in October—Will This Shut the Door on Additional Rate Hikes?

Canada’s Inflation Slows to 3.1% in October

Statistics Canada announced that Canada’s inflation rate slowed to 3.1% in October, that’s down significantly from the 3.8% reading in September. There is a caveat to that drop in inflation, however. The big deceleration was mainly a result of lower gas prices, which were down 6.4% over September and down 7.8% from where gas prices […]

The S&P 500 Could Hit a Record High in 2024, But the TSX Could Disappoint

How Will the TSX and S&P 500 Do in 2024?

This year was supposed to be a mixed one for stocks, with rising interest rates, stubbornly high inflation, and lower commodity prices expected to be headwinds for Canadian and U.S. stocks. But it hasn’t turned out that way. In spite of economic uncertainty, the S&P 500 is up 17.5% year-to-date, the NASDAQ has rallied an […]

Canadian Dollar Down 4.8% Since July on Weaker Oil and Soft Economic Data

Canadian Dollar Down 4.8%

The Canadian dollar has reversed the gains it made against the U.S. dollar in the first half of the year. The Canadian dollar performed well in the opening quarters of 2023, climbing 3.6% against the U.S. dollar. The loonie was actually the best performing major G-10 currency in June after rising 2.4%. That momentum carried […]

Remainder of 2023 Looks Bullish After Federal Reserve Pause’s Interest Rates

Federal Reserve Pause’s Interest Rates

Halloween may be over but that doesn’t mean it isn’t still scary on Bay Street and Wall Street. On July 27 the S&P 500 hit a 52-week high of 4,240, putting it up 19.5% year-to-date. The big moves defied logic, with inflation stubbornly high and interest rates still on the rise. But then stocks started […]