Total initial claims dropped to 227,000 from 242,000 for the week ending Oct. 18, the Labor Department reported on Thursday. … READ MORE >
Economics
Bank of Canada cuts rates by half point amid slow growth
We expect the policy rate to fall to 3.5 per cent by the end of the year and return to a terminal rate of 2.75 per cent in the first half of 2025. … READ MORE >
Housing starts and permits ease in September
September’s housing starts came in at 1.35 million, down 0.5% from August, while building permits, a proxy for future projects, fell 2.9% to 1.4 million. … READ MORE >
September retail sales top forecasts
Retail sales for all items increased by 0.4% while the control group grew by 0.7% in September. … READ MORE >
American outperformance in the global economy
The U.S. economy is outperforming in growth and employment, and in controlling inflation, without causing the economy to fall into an extended period of slow growth. It’s a remarkable policy achievement. … READ MORE >
Canada’s Consumer Price Index falls to 1.6%; calling for more rate cuts
Canada’s Consumer Price Index fell to 1.6%, the smallest increase since February 2021, mainly thanks to lower gasoline prices.
On a monthly basis, CPI fell 0.4% in September after falling 0.2% in August, both due to lower gasoline prices. Gasoline prices fell 7.1% in September compared to August. On a year-over-year basis, gasoline prices fell 10.7%.
On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, CPI was unchanged at 0.0%. … READ MORE >
Canadian firms in an era of a higher cost of capital
As rates fall but remain above pre-pandemic levels, businesses must harness opportunities to create and deliver values through strategic investments to boost productivity. … READ MORE >
Canada added 47,000 jobs in September as jobless rate fell to 6.5%
The increase in jobs, the largest since April, gives confidence that Canada can maintain a soft landing until the Bank of Canada’s rate cuts, which began in June, are sufficient for the economy to awaken. … READ MORE >
Producer price index implies further disinflation
The lower-than-expected producer inflation report released on Friday should offset some of the upside surprises from the consumer inflation data released on Thursday. … READ MORE >
U.S. CPI: Further evidence of disinflation supports another rate cut
We expect the Fed to keep its eyes on preserving full employment amid general price stability, which points to a further reduction in interest rates throughout the remainder of the year … READ MORE >