Published by Hilliard MacBeth on May 29, 2020
Canadian banks reported their results this week and, as expected, took substantially higher provisions for credit losses. Most of the increase in provisions came from estimates for future losses on performing loans. Banks are required to estimate future... Read more Published by Hilliard MacBeth on May 22, 2020
Evan Siddall, the CEO of the government’s housing agency, spoke to a parliamentary committee on Tuesday about Canadian housing risks. The agency he heads insures mortgages for the riskiest borrowers, those who cannot provide a down payment of at least... Read more Published by Hilliard MacBeth on May 15, 2020
On May 13, 2020 Federal Reserve Chair Jay Powell made a virtual speech warning about the weak U.S. economy, suggesting that fiscal and monetary policy makers must rise to the challenges caused by COVID-19. Since the Fed has already cut interest rates... Read more Published by Hilliard MacBeth on May 08, 2020
Investors in Canada, and elsewhere, are watching with fascination as Shopify, an Ottawa-based company founded by former snowboarder Tobias Lutke, grows to become the largest company by market value in Canada. Will Shopify be the next Amazon? In full disclosure... Read more Published by Hilliard MacBeth on May 01, 2020
The impact of COVID-19 threatens to turn this recession into a unique event with unpredictable consequences. The economies of many developed countries were long overdue for a period of negative growth, and the elevated household debts in Canada, China... Read more