U.S. Economy Cools in the Second Quarter and IMF Cuts Global Economic Outlook
U.S. and Global Economy Cooling From the sidelines, everything looks great on Wall Street. Stocks are up with the S&P 500, Nasdaq, Dow Jones Industrial Average, and Toronto Stock Exchange all at, or near record levels. The stock market is a forward-looking indicator, so that bodes well for growth prospects. Or does it? Precious metals…
Is Now the Time to Invest in Gold, Silver, and Bitcoin?
The U.S. economy is churning out, for the most part, solid economic data and the broader markets are at record levels. In fact, many Wall Street analysts are predicting the S&P 500, which recently broke the 3,000 level for the first time, could surge past 3,200. Yet, amongst all of the bullish sentiment, two well-known…
Bank of Canada Holds Rates Steady as Trade War Uncertainty Takes Toll
Bank of Canada Maintains Lending Rate of 1.75% The Bank of Canada announced it was leaving its key interest rate unchanged at 1.75%. The central bank modified its economic outlook for the Canadian economy, saying it expects slightly stronger growth in 2019 and weaker growth in 2020. The dour outlook is being fuelled by the…
Market Review – July 2019
As we enter the second half of the year, our Chief Options Specialist, Jason Ayres, provides a market overview for July 2019. Here’s what is happening in the market: The old saying that “the market climbs a wall of worry” seems to be quite fitting as uncertainties surrounding trade relations between the U.S. and China…
Record Stock Market Being Fuelled by Speculation, Not Earnings Growth
U.S. stocks closed out the best June in decades with momentum carrying into the second half of the year. The S&P 500 is at record levels and stocks closed at a record high on July 3, for the third day in a row. The TSX meanwhile is less than 1% off a new record close.…
Market Review – June 2019
Welcome to our monthly review of the markets! Here, our Chief Options Specialist, Jason Ayres, who is also CEO of Croft Financial Group, provides a market overview for June 2019. Watch the video below to see how the market conditions are impacting investors.
Is the S&P 500 on the Brink of a Third Quarter Correction?
S&P 500 at Risk of Third Quarter Correction on Weak Economic Data The S&P 500 is less than one percent away from a new record, but there are growing concerns that the broad-based index could lose 10% of its value in the third quarter, and officially, send it into correction mode. The reason? Persistently weak…
Weaker Second Quarter Earnings Expected as Effects of Trade War with China Take Hold
Record Stock Market Levels Mask Earnings Reality The S&P 500, Nasdaq, Dow Jones Industrial Average, and TSX are all trading at, or near, record stock market levels. On the surface, how can this be anything but good news? But if you dig into the data even a little bit, you’ll see that North American companies…
American Chief Financial Officers Predicting a U.S. Recession in 2020
Fears of 2020 U.S. Recession Grows According to a majority of American Chief Financial Officers, the second longest economist expansion in American history is expected to hit a wall in 2020, just before the U.S. presidential election, sending the U.S. into a recession. That would be bad news for President Donald Trump, who campaigned on…
U.S. Economy Surprises, Adds Just 75,000 Jobs in May
U.S. Economy Slows in May, Creates Fewer Jobs Than Expected The U.S. economy is showing signs of weakness and things could get worse. In May, the U.S. created just 75,000 jobs, far lower than Wall Street expected. Wage growth has also slowed significantly. A slowdown means American consumers are going to have less money in…