Global markets: Stock markets stronger

By Commodity News Service Canada

WINNIPEG, April 14 – The following is a glance at the news moving markets globally.

WORLD STOCKS HIT 2016 HIGH
Global stock markets hit their highest levels in 2016 in early activity on Thursday, propped up by anticipated policymaker meetings this week.

OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) and non-OPEC countries are set to meet this week in Doha, while the International Monetary Fund and World Bank will be meeting in Washington.

GREEK ECONOMY EXPECTED TO SHRINK FURTHER

Read Also

Global Markets: Canadian unemployment rate steady

Glacier FarmMedia — The following is a glance at the news moving markets in Canada and globally.   Canada’s unemployment…

Greece’s economy will likely contract further throughout 2016, according to reports from the country.

Despite projections for growth in the second-half of 2016, analysts expect the country to see a one per cent contraction in 2016.

That follows a 0.3 per cent contraction in 2015.

CANADA’S HOUSING PRICES INCREASED IN FEBRUARY

Canada’s new housing price index rose 0.2 per cent in February, following a 0.1 per cent increase in January. The advance was led by higher new home prices in Ontario and British Columbia, Statistics Canada said in a report on Thursday.

According to StatsCan, of the metropolitan areas covered by the index, the combined region of Toronto and Oshawa, with a 0.4 per cent increase, and Vancouver, with a 0.8 per cent increase, were the top contributors to the national increase in February. Builders in both regions cited new list prices and market conditions as the main reasons for the advance. This was the largest monthly price increase in Vancouver since September 2009.