Oil at $100 Again?

Posted by & filed under Canadian Economy, Student life.

Description: While some are divesting in oil stocks (see this week’s post on the Caisse’s divestment plans), the Bank of America is predicting oil prices will soar above $100 a barrel for the first time since 2014. Demand for the substance is expected to rise in the face of higher numbers of air travelers, oncoming… Read more »

Economy Bounces Back

Posted by & filed under Canadian Economy.

Description: Statistics Canada says that the Canadian economy added 90,000 jobs in August. With an unemployment rate at 7.1%, this key economic measure is now at its lowest point since the pandemic began. The news is not all good, however, as fewer people are actually looking for employment, indicating that the Covid fears may be… Read more »

Pay now? Pay later?

Posted by & filed under Canadian Economy, Canadian Government.

Description: You can pay me now, or pay me later; so goes the old saying from the Fram oil filter commercial. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHug0AIhVoQ Well, the Government of Canada appears to have chosen the pay me later approach with its latest budget, delivered last week by Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland. The budget did contain a few revenue… Read more »

The High Cost of Construction

Posted by & filed under Canadian Economy, Marketing & Strategy.

Description: The nesting phenomenon – people renovating homes during the Covid-19 pandemic – has bumped up both lumber demand and prices. And, of course, this has driven up the cost of building a new home. The cost of thousand board feet of 2×4 has increased from $550 pre-Covid to over $1,400 this spring. Ouch! Date:… Read more »

Costs More to Fill the Tank

Posted by & filed under Canadian Economy, Student life.

Description: Have you noticed it’s costing you more to fill the tank these days? At the start of the pandemic, gas prices fell precipitously, and Canadians were smiling at least one aspect of the shutdown. But now gas prices have come roaring back. This article from the Toronto Star offers a few reasons why you… Read more »

Bitcoin Bubble?

Posted by & filed under Accounting Careers, Canadian Economy.

Description: Bitcoin is soaring to new heights. Tesla has said it will soon accept the cryptocurrency as payment for its electric cars, and, as part of this strategy it has salted away $1.5 billion worth of Bitcoin. This is seen as part of the reason that Bitcoin has jumped 50% this year. Date:  February 8,… Read more »

Strong Auto Sales

Posted by & filed under Canadian Economy.

Description: In the early part of this Corona virus pandemic, car sales tumbled: No surprise. But then came a different sort of surprise, and the year ended with good news for the auto makers. Despite a 75% crash in the early days of the shutdown, car markets did very well for the year as a… Read more »

Even Economists Are Confused

Posted by & filed under Canadian Economy.

Description: Job gains announced last week were three times higher than expected. Statistics Canada was way off on its call of quarterly results for Gross Domestic Product. If Covid-19 hadn’t already thrown enough curve balls already, now you can include the notion that the economic results are even confusing the economists. The deputy chief economist… Read more »

Pilots Take a Cut

Posted by & filed under Canadian Economy.

Description: WestJet pilots have agreed to take a 50% pay cut to keep more of them working during these interesting times. Though WestJet originally thought the effect of the pandemic on air travel would force a reduction of about 1,200 staff, the pilots’ offer has cut the number to around 450. Actions like this across… Read more »