Canada's economy added far fewer jobs than expected in December and the jobless rate remained at 5.8 per cent, but permanent employees' wages increased at the fastest pace in three years, data showed on Friday.
Tag Archives Bank of Canada
Canada’s jobs growth stalls in December as wages accelerate
Declines in goods sector driven by job losses in manufacturing, construction and agriculture
Canada economy seen weaker than expected as supply chain woes weigh
Ottawa | Reuters – The Canadian economy most likely underperformed expectations in the third quarter amid ongoing supply chain woes and a brutal drought, official data suggested on Friday, prompting analysts to forecast the Bank of Canada could move slower on rate hikes. The economy expanded by 0.4 percent in August, missing estimates, and looked […] Read more
A look at what’s ahead for the Canadian dollar
Market Update with Jerry Klassen: Expect a slower economy, more debt and likely more taxes
The Canadian dollar eroded by 7.8 per cent during 2018 with most of this deterioration coming in the fourth quarter. For cattle producers, this isn’t necessarily negative. Recent data shows that year-to-date feeder cattle exports for the week ending Dec. 8, 2018 were 191,863 head, up a whopping 66 per cent over the same period […] Read more
Ag seen gaining on slightly weaker loonie in 2019
CNS Canada — Farm Credit Canada (FCC) predicts the Canadian dollar will spend the year around the 75-U.S. cent mark — slightly softer than last year’s average of 76. “We’re going to see volatility throughout the year obviously but when we look at that season, or the full year average, we’re looking for it to […] Read more
Farm debt in Western Canada
Our debt levels are increasing, but our debt-to-equity ratios are holding steady
The headline of an article released by FCC near the end of September was a little worrying: “What does a new high in farm debt mean for the ag sector?” Between 2016 and 2017, total Canadian farm debt increased by 6.6 per cent to more than $100 billion. In Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta, the increase […] Read more
Trade certainty doesn’t translate to higher loonie
CNS Canada — Even with more certainty around trade with the U.S., Canadians shouldn’t expect to see the dollar flying in value. “It’s hard for me to see the Canadian dollar gain value against the U.S. dollar in the short term, unless the Bank of Canada totally revises its stance towards interest rates,” said J.P. […] Read more
Consider hedging against rate hikes, farmers advised
CNS Canada — The Bank of Canada has raised its benchmark interest rate to 1.5 per cent, marking the fourth time it has raised rates since last summer. The increase from 1.25 per cent is the base rate retail banks pay for short-term loans, but consumer rates for mortgages, lines of credit and other loans […] Read more
Farmland values rise, but interest rates curb market
CNS Canada — Prices of Canadian farmland were seen rising in 2017, with most sales happening in the first half of 2017 before interest rate increases and the drought in Western Canada hit. That’s according to the annual Farmland Values Report released Monday by Farm Credit Canada (FCC), based on 90 per cent of farmland […] Read more
Investing: taking risks in the new economy
Old economy, new economy. Finding safe off-farm investments in a perilous world
It is the question closest to the hearts and digestions of most investors: How long can the good times last? The tech-heavy NASDAQ Composite index was up 26.3 per cent for the 12-month period ending June 7, 2017. Canada’s S&P/TSX Composite Index rose a modest 7.7 per cent in the same period, restrained by flagging […] Read more
90 years of Saskatchewan farmland prices
Saskatchewan land prices have been on the move since 1968. What’s next?
Readers have been asking for an update on farmland prices but I was having trouble accessing the required data. Thanks to Terry Bedard of Saskatchewan Agriculture for sending me recent average price data. This data is just for Saskatchewan. Alberta land prices are changed by many factors that are not related to what is grown […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
