Despite my call for an official recession in Canada, I do think our stocks will perform better, with a gain of perhaps 10 per cent.

A spectacular 2024 defied predictions, again

Investing for Fun and Profit: Also, my amateur investor market outlook for 2025

The stock market was a happy place in 2024, with the U.S. S&P 500 delivering a 25 per cent total return, including dividends. Even the laggardly Canadian TSX joined the party with a total return of 21.6 per cent. How did my 2024 predictions turn out compared to the pros, and what do I see […] Read more

us politicians photo illustration

The cycles within economic cycles

Investing for Fun and Profit: The economic cycle, presidential cycle and stock market cycle are separate entities that interact

The S&P 500 — the market I’ll be referencing throughout this article — has been on a tear the past couple of years, leading many to wonder if the hot bull market can continue. It was up 26.3 per cent in 2023 and at time of writing is up about 23 per cent year-to-date. Let’s […] Read more



lebanon vineyard with tractor

What will a Middle East war do to your costs and prices?

Bonds and Risk: Expect fuel costs to be up, interest costs down

Farmers are caught in a developing cost squeeze. Global oil costs are threatening to balloon from about US$80 today to over US$100 per barrel, which would be a 25 per cent leap. On the other hand, interest rates in the U.S. and Canada are scheduled to decline by as much as 1.5 per cent by […] Read more



Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem takes part in a news conference, after cutting key interest rate, in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada July 24, 2024. REUTERS/Blair Gable

Canada’s inflation eases to 1.6 per cent, increasing chances of 50 bps rate cut

Canada's annual inflation rate slowed more than expected to 1.6 per cent in September, data showed on Tuesday, prompting markets to increase bets of a 50 basis point rate cut next week. The easing of inflation, which was mainly led by a huge drop in the price of gasoline, was the smallest annual increase in consumer prices since February 2021, Statistics Canada said.


Fed cattle prices are expected to trend lower from October 2024 to December 2025.

Cattle market vulnerable to slower economic growth

The Markets: Watch consumer trends for indications of a beef price slowdown

Alberta packers were buying fed cattle on a dressed basis in the range of $425-$428/cwt delivered in mid-August. Live prices were quoted at $255/cwt (US$186), f.o.b. feedlot, in southern Alberta. The fed market has come off the summer highs as demand eases moving into the fall period. Monthly restaurant spending on both sides of the […] Read more