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






Demand for organic pulses had been steadily rising before the COVID-19 outbreak, but supply chains are prepared to meet the new demand. Photo: File

Pulse Weekly: Looking at price shifts in 2024

Production up for most Canadian pulses

Pulses in Canada had quite the year in 2024 with prices closing out the calendar year in the middle of their trading ranges. Production was higher on the year for most pulses. Dry pea output in Canada rose to just short of three million tonnes, up from the 2.61 million harvested in 2023, according to the Statistics Canada principal field crop report issued Dec. 5.





Loading grain on a vessel at a Burrard Inlet terminal. (Maxvis/iStock/Getty Images)

China, EU account for upswing in Canadian grain, oilseed exports

Total exports through October up more than 18 per cent

Exports of Canadian oilseeds and grains for 2024/25 largely continued to be ahead of those a year ago, monthly data from the Canadian Grain Commission showed. Bulk exports through licensed facilities during the first three months of the current marketing year are more than 12.22 million tonnes, which compares with the approximately 10.33 million the same time last year.

Poor growing conditions this year in the EU may create a greater opportunity for Canadian producers to sell their commodities overseas.  Photo: FIle

Bearish speculative bets rise in canola futures

Speculative fund traders were busy putting on fresh bearish bets in early December, taking the net managed money short position back above 100,000 contracts for the first time in two months, according to the latest Commitments of Traders report from the United States Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).