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Economy
March 19, 2010
OTTAWA - It's what Prime Minister Stephen Harper didn't say to the Group of 20 negotiators on Thursday that weighed heavily in the meeting room.
March 19, 2010
David Dodge, former governor of the Bank of Canada, says Canadians need to save far more if they want to retire comfortably - even those Canadians who think they have great company pension plans and solid RRSPs.
Survey finds many parents don't make the most of their tax deductions
March 18, 2010
MONTREAL - One of the biggest challenges for families with children at tax time can be locating all of the pesky receipts they've stashed away over the year, hoping to claim credits and deductions.
Rethinking the modest recovery story: Is Canada's economy poised to take off?
March 18, 2010
OTTAWA - Foreigners are buying up Canada, the loonie is heading for parity with the American dollar and recent economic indicators are off the map. Could the recovery be outracing expectations?
Picking the best way to pay for your home renos
March 18, 2010
When considering how to finance home renovations, the first step should be to get some sound financial advice.
More stuff, more options: Recession, Internet affect market for used items
March 17, 2010
Spring for many homeowners means confronting all the things that have filled up the closets, basement and garage over the past year. As the late comedian George Carlin used to say: "Your house is a pile of stuff with a cover on it."
Despite troubles, Italians shrug off concerns that it will be next to crash; social costs loom
March 17, 2010
MILAN, Italy - As Greece wins at least temporary respite from its debt troubles, will Italy be the next to face a crisis?
High Canadian dollar here to stay, economists say
March 17, 2010
OTTAWA - The high Canadian dollar appears to be here to stay despite what the Bank of Canada or inflation do to impact the currency.
Greece faces rolling blackouts, minor clashes in fresh opposition to austerity
March 16, 2010
ATHENS - Police scuffled with demonstrators in Athens late Tuesday as the government faced fresh opposition to its austerity measures, despite signs that markets are beginning to respond positively to Greece's drastic cuts.
Flaherty urges other developed countries to control their deficits
March 16, 2010
LONDON - Canadian Finance Minister Jim Flaherty says other developed nations should come up with clearer plans on how they are going to get their weighty budget deficits under control.
Many Canadian firms learning to cope with strong dollar: think tank report
March 16, 2010
OTTAWA - With the loonie once again nearing parity with the U.S. dollar, a new report on the currency is giving hope it may not be the menace to the economy many believe it to be.
Today's investor faces many challenges
March 16, 2010
Today’s investor faces many challenges. Gone are the days of studying an investment and if its fundamentals look good, you make the buy. It’s just not that simple anymore.
Free guide will help natives strike deals with resource companies
March 15, 2010
OTTAWA - A charitable foundation has issued a free how-to kit to help native communities reach resource-sharing deals with mining companies.
Cash shortage for moms in Canada as Tories promise global aid
March 14, 2010
OTTAWA - Federal cash for troubled pregnancies and newborns in Canada remains in short supply even as the Conservative government leads a global campaign to improve the health of mothers and children overseas.
Northern New Brunswick economy braces for court ruling on fate of Atcon
March 14, 2010
FREDERICTON - A northern New Brunswick city that has endured one economic blow after another is bracing to learn the fate of a homegrown company on the brink of collapse, despite receiving millions in public funds in the last decade.
Despite strikes, street violence break out in Greece over planned austerity measures
March 11, 2010
ATHENS - Clashes between riot police and rock-throwing, masked youths broke out during a demonstration Thursday in central Athens by tens of thousands of striking workers protesting austerity measures that the Greek government has said it has no choice but to implement.
GDP growth of 3.1 per cent expected this year, says RBC Economics
March 11, 2010
TORONTO - A new forecast from RBC Economics says Canada's economy is poised for real GDP growth of 3.1 per cent this year and 3.9 per cent in 2011.
Three-quarters of Canadian employers expect payrolls to remain stable
March 09, 2010
TORONTO - A recent survey of more than 1,900 Canadian employers found that 17 per expect to see higher payrolls in the second quarter of 2010.
More young Canadians taking advantage of low interest rates in housing market
March 09, 2010
MONTREAL - Younger Canadians are expected to lead the way with home buying this year as they take advantage of low interest rates, new jobs and what they consider "good prices," a bank survey says.
What's behind the latest market rebound?
March 09, 2010
North American stock markets have re-initiated their upward trend.
Europe seeks to strengthen euro system with its own version of the IMF
March 08, 2010
PARIS, France - As Europe struggles with a debt crisis, the idea of a European Monetary Fund is quickly taking hold.
Nunavut to balance budget, but fears future federal funding cuts
March 08, 2010
IQALUIT, Nunavut - Nunavut has tabled a balanced budget for this year, but the territorial finance minister is concerned about deficits elsewhere.
Positive U.S. jobs data could translate into gains on stock markets this week
March 08, 2010
TORONTO - Improvements in the economy could support last week's sharp gains on stock markets as investors grow more confident that job losses in the United States, a major consequence of the recession, are giving way to job creation.
Greek PM Papandreou heads to Paris seeking more EU support for harsh austerity measures
March 07, 2010
PARIS, France - French President Nicolas Sarkozy says that Europe will show solidarity with Greece and will work with its European partners to fight against speculation against the euro.
Deep cuts for public service in B.C. budget
March 03, 2010
B.C. will chop public service jobs by one-tenth over the next three years as the province seeks to trim costs amid consecutive budget deficits, B.C.’s finance minister revealed yesterday.
Economic woes fertile ground for the workplace blues
March 02, 2010
If you’re feeling glum about your job, you’re not the only one.
What makes us comfortable isn't always best for the future
March 02, 2010
The RRSP season has now come to an end. The usual last minute RRSP contributors were able to make their final contributions yesterday to obtain tax receipts for the 2009 tax year.
China recovering
February 23, 2010
China’s foreign investment rose for a sixth straight month in January, a new sign that recovery in the world’s third largest economy is on track, government figures showed yesterday.
Experts expect gas price rise
February 23, 2010
History says gasoline prices will rise in the coming months. But fundamental market forces say they shouldn’t, according to energy experts.
Learning to live with new mortgage rules
February 23, 2010
Run, run for your life! Straight to the bank. Quick, get that mortgage pre-approval.
Laid-off employees finding their way back to the workforce
February 22, 2010
More than half (58 per cent) of the employees laid off in the last 12 months continue to be resilient in their job searches and have secured new positions.
A successful mortgage hunt for the self-employed
February 16, 2010
It was a sad day when I sold my 1971 avocado-hued Karmann Ghia. Oh sure, this "sports car of the people" didn’t have the power or handling of its richer cousin, the Porsche. But it was a sexy number for a freelance writer to bomb around the streets of Vancouver in.
Flaherty needs to update GST rebate, for harmony's sake
February 11, 2010
With the next federal budget less than a month away, federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty has a golden opportunity to enhance the GST new housing rebate structure to be consistent with Ontario and British Columbia approaches to housing under the HST.
Banks bracing for tough sell this RRSP season
February 10, 2010
’Tis the season to contribute to registered retirement savings plans, but some banks are bracing for a tough sell this year.
MBA graduates back in demand as economy recovers
February 09, 2010
When the economic downturn came, hiring of MBA graduates — with their high-level leadership skills and high-level pay scales — took a hit like everything else.
European debt fears should have little impact in North America
February 09, 2010
The sell off of the world’s stock markets has continued for yet another week. In North America, the S&P, DOW and TSX are all down by more than seven per cent since their mid-January highs. Many are wondering how low the markets can fall before investors begin to take advantage of the pullback and buy again.
Editorial Cartoon for February 5, 2010
February 05, 2010
Time to go retro when it comes to customer service
February 02, 2010
Here’s some unsolicited advice for companies that want to make the most of the economic recovery, dramatically improve customer service and satisfaction, and create jobs.
Buy the rumour, sell the news
February 02, 2010
Many North American companies have reported fantastic quarterly results, however, once these results were released, in many cases, the stock sold off sharply. This has left investors quite confused. Why has the market been falling these past two weeks and what will it take for it to start rising again? Good earnings reports seem to have little effect.
Just what is an RRSP, anyway?
February 02, 2010
RRSPs are more than half a century old, but there’s still a big misconception about them. At this time of year I commonly hear something like this: “I just bought an RRSP.” Oh no you didn’t.
Economy, prorogation putting dent in Tory support
January 28, 2010
As a new poll shows the Liberals closing in on the Conservatives, Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff continued his focus on the economy with a series of proposals to boost job creation for youth and other Canadians.
Temporary setbacks provide great buying opportunity
January 27, 2010
At times, investors can get quite impatient when they have money to invest.
We need to get realistic about tackling the deficit
January 26, 2010
Deficit reduction in Canada reminds me of that scene in Monty Python and the Holy Grail where King Arthur encounters a Black Knight who won’t let him pass.
Personal asset inventory can yield significant hidden cash
January 26, 2010
This is triple witching time — money wise, at any rate. Holiday bills are still not paid, RRSP contributions still not made and tax season looms.
Boxed Water hopes to ride wave of bottle-bans to success
January 25, 2010
There was a time when we thought being responsible meant drinking water and recycling the bottle it came in.
Expedition hits the waves to explore link between climate change and plankton
January 25, 2010
Science takes time, patience and stamina. In the middle of the Mediterranean, the schooner Tara is at the beginning of a three-year odyssey around the world: A 150,000-kilometre expedition to explore the largely unknown world of the oceans.
Powerful tools open up world of online investment
January 21, 2010
Online investing is easier than ever thanks to the changing face of online investors and the powerful tools put in their hands.
Canada's simmering, homegrown foreclosure crisis
January 19, 2010
You could call it Canada’s version of the sub-prime mortgage crisis.
Equity investments the only way to go for those seeking growth
January 19, 2010
2010 is off to a good start for the broader North American stock markets, and tt seems the momentum of 2009 has spilled over to this year with the major indices in North America up fractionally over the first two weeks.
Skinny contributions makes for a skinny retirement
January 19, 2010
An interesting thing happened on the way to retirement. A bunch of folks lost buckets of money, not just once but many times since 1997. And that explains, in part, why RRSP contributions have fallen off since then, particularly in the 55 and older group.
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