Soft Landing? The third quarter brought good news for investors, with gains across most asset classes. However, stock market volatility was more pronounced than at the beginning of the year. Despite this, several lagging segments, such as Canadian equities and more defensive sectors, managed to rebound. Bonds, meanwhile, performed well during this period. A surprise rise in the unemployment rate fuelled much of the volatility over the summer months. However, with inflation now "under control,"...
A Second Quarter of Contrasts Global markets continue to be shaped by inflationary dynamics and rate cut expectations. Central banks closely monitor inflation and economic indicators to determine when to ease monetary policies. The Bank of Canada led its G7 counterparts by initiating monetary policy easing, reducing its overnight rate from 5% to 4.75%. As core inflation continues to decline, the Governing Council is optimistic that this trend will continue until the 2% target is...
Recent months have witnessed some turbulence in global markets, characterized by a series of events that have influenced the economic outlook and investment decisions. As investors digest this new data, it's imperative to take a critical look at the current state of the economy and the trends that could shape the year ahead.
This report examines the potential impact of a Trump presidency in a variety of areas. These include trade relations, the U.S.-China rivalry, tax policy, NATO membership, and green energy initiatives. The report will also look at where a Trump administration would not differ from a Biden administration in terms of policy and what the potential impact of a Trump presidency would be on the American political landscape.
Tax Guide 2023 - Québec
Regional banking turmoil, conflict in the Middle East, advances in artificial intelligence, record fluctuations in interest rates, hopes for a soft landing: once again this year, the economic environment has been anything but smooth sailing for investors.
The story of the Summer of 2023 is one of a U.S. economy exceeding expectations. Annual US GDP growth remained above potential and is on track to remain there in the 3rd quarter, leading stock markets to expect a better future for profits, and bond markets to push back the prospect of interest rate cuts.
Relative calm settled in the markets during the second quarter of 2023, providing some respite for investors after a prolonged period of high volatility. Indeed, apart from the good performance of the US stock market and especially its technological giants, the main asset classes ended the period without major changes, with bonds slightly underperforming equities.
In 2022, inflation has taken a prominent place in the economic news, a trend that continues into the start of 2023. Rapid price increases have caused serious concern among consumers.
Tax Guide 2022 - Québec
At this time last year, the main theme of our market review and our annual outlook was the impending shift in central banks’ policies, but little did we know that the American Federal Reserve (Fed) and the Bank of Canada would take such drastic measures in 2022 to deal with persistent inflation.