The Canadian Dollar Rides Stronger Economic Signals – Can the Momentum Sustain?

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on April 5, 2016. Click here to read the entire piece.) Canada’s GDP report for January, 2016 confirmed renewed strength in the Canadian economy. {snip} Source: Statistics Canada Now that the Canadian economy has apparently stabilized, the weakening in the Canadian dollar … Read more

This Time Is Likely Different for the S&P 500 With Rising Margin Debt

A recent article in Business Insider by Jesse Felder from TheFelderReport.com raised a loud alarm bell over rising margin debt levels in the U.S. stock market (see “A closely followed indicator says a 20% drop in stocks could be coming soon“). The article used the following chart as part of an analysis concluding that a … Read more

Housing Market Review – A Struggle for Rebirth Ahead of Spring (February, 2016)

The last Housing Market Review covered data released in January, 2016. At the time, I warily looked at a nervous market and insisted that the steep decline in the iShares US Home Construction ETF (ITB) and individual home builder stocks presented a great buying opportunity. I was conservative in my expectations including looking out to … Read more

A Cascade of Impacts from Rate Hike Expectations Planted Back In 2016

On Friday, February 26th, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Economic Analysis reported revised GDP results for Q4 2015. The number went from a first estimate of 0.7% to 1.0% annualized. The Bureau of Economic Analysis declared “with this second estimate for the fourth quarter, the general picture of economic growth remains the same; … Read more

A Rebound In Canada’s Oil Patch Helps Support GDP But Not the Canadian Dollar

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on November 1, 2015. Click here to read the entire piece.) For the third straight month, mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction in Canada expanded. According to Statistics Canada, this commodity and energy based category of economic output has now grown … Read more

The Appeal of the Canadian Dollar Continues to Recede

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on September 6, 2015. Click here to read the entire piece.) It is official…or at least technically official. Canada is in recession albeit by the slimmest of margins. {snip} Source: Statistics Canada Canada’s GDP is a story of two worlds. {snip} Source: … Read more

The Canadian Dollar Pushes To Fresh Post-Crisis Low on Broadly Weak May GDP

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on August 3, 2015. Click here to read the entire piece.) Lost during last Friday’s alarm over U.S. wage growth was the report on May GDP for Canada from Statistics Canada. Canada reported its fifth consecutive monthly decline all but guaranteeing the … Read more

A Weak GDP Report Sends the Canadian Dollar Above the 1.24 Pivot

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on June 8, 2015. Click here to read the entire piece.) Statistics Canada released its monthly GDP report for April as time counted down on Greece’s June 30th debt deadline. While the news from the report could not steal headlines, it was … Read more

A New Year’s Re-Evaluation of the Drivers for Bullishness On the Canadian Dollar

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on Jan 2, 2015. Click here to read the entire piece.) On December 23rd, Statistics Canada reported another strong showing for Canada’s GDP. This time it was manufacturing that produced the unexpectedly strong result. Real GDP increased 0.3% in October. {snip} Given … Read more