Here you will find Candian Articles relating the Market Insights Community.
CanaData’s latest construction starts forecasts are set out in the tables that accompany this report. The current year will see non-residential building starts in Canada drop to about half the level that they reached two years ago in 2007, 45.5 million square feet versus 92.1 million. The credit crunch, reduced international travel, lower world trade and high unemployment are all factors holding back privately-funded construction projects at this time. What is perhaps most remarkable, however, is the fact that interest rates remain so low in Canada and throughout the industrialized world. In no way are interest rates inhibiting factors with respect to investment.
Posted in
Market Insights,
Construction Forecasts,
Construction Starts,
Alberta,
British Columbia,
Manitoba,
New Brunswick,
Newfoundland and Labrador,
Nova Scotia,
Ontario,
Prince Edward Island,
Quebec,
Saskatchewan
There is much to be said for viewing the economy as some out-of-step version of a metronome, moving back and forth according to its own internal rhythm. It may stray a considerable distance in one direction or another, but it does always return to a “norm”. Many key financial and statistical indicators are now in the process of doing just that, moving back towards more central positions. The latest Consumer Price Index results in the U.S. and Canada are cases in point.
Ever since the Rev. Thomas Malthus published his Essay on the Principle of Population, economics has been referred to as the “dismal science.”
According to a report released by Statistics Canada today, nation-wide manufacturing sales in September were -18.6% compared with the same month a year ago. However, a more recent improvement has been underway since May. On a month-to-month basis, Canadian manufacturing sales in September were +1.4% versus August. This was almost entirely due to an improvement in the motor vehicles category (+16.4% month to month). Also today, U.S. retail sales figures for October were made public. Again, it was the auto sector in the forefront. Total U.S. retail sales were +1.4% month over month and auto and parts sales were +7.4%.
Due primarily to its considerable exposure to imploding world petroleum and natural gas markets, Alberta lost jobs at a faster rate (-3.3% year over year) in October than any other province, and considerably faster than the country as a whole (-2.3%).
The nature of economic recovery will see the U.S. goods and services trade deficit worsen in the months ahead. However, there are several factors that may limit the size of the deterioration in the deficit versus previous performance levels. First among these will be currency devaluation. In Canada, even when the trade position shifts over to a positive balance, it may have trouble returning to its former lofty heights. Such an outcome may be the fallout from natural gas prices staying depressed and the loonie continuing to climb versus the greenback.
Initial U.S. jobless claims were down again in the latest weekly report. They dropped by 12,000 and now stand at their lowest level since the first week in January of this year. Continuing claims were also lower (-139,000) and are now back to where they were in March. Some analysts have concluded that initial jobless claims at a level of 500,000, which is about their current position, combined with an unemployment rate of around 10%, point to an imminent end to job layoffs. This does not mean a quick end to problems in U.S. labor markets.p>
Against the headwinds of the most severe economic crisis in more than 25 years, Canada has, according to the World Economic Forum (WEF), “improved its ability to achieve sustained economic growth and long-term prosperity.”
It is clear that the B.C. economy is waiting for the Olympics before it starts to recover.
