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Why NOT move the YuanWhy NOT Move the Yuan

The global economic imbalance is a bit like the weather—everybody talks about it, but nobody does anything about it. While there may be a trend improvement ahead, the US needs more growth from its export sector, and the related capital spending, if it's going to recover without putting its consumers into another debt binge. Its suggestion that countries adopt formal targets to reduce their current account surpluses didn't resonate with others, including Germany, where trade benefits from what had been a weak euro were driving growth. [more...]

 

 

Comparison of fixed and variable rates (25 years)
Chartered bank administered interest rates - Prime Business. [more...]

 

 

 

Condominium Market in Canada Heating Up: RE/MAX

Condominiums have become a hot sector of the Canadian real estate market, particularly as an option for first-time homebuyers spooked by high prices for single-family homes, says a report released Monday. [more...]

 

 

 

Ottawa Housing Sales Drop in October

Housing sales were donw 12..9 per cent in Ottawa in October, compared with the same month last year. [more...]

 

 

 

Blue Days For The Greenback

There was much ado about $100 bn last week. The Fed acted like a corporate CFO, guiding expectations for the amount of quantitative easing downwards ahead of the announcement, so that it could "beat" street expectations. Instead of a nice round $500 bn, it went with $600 bn so that it wouldn't see a disappointed market sell financial assets that day. The foreign exchange market in particular seemed to attach a lot of importance to that bump in the first digit. [more...]

 

 

Jobs Returning But Slow Pace Still a Concern

The good news: The United States added 151,000 jobs in October, the first increase since May and more than double the gain economists were anticipating. [more...]

 

 

 

 

Weekly Market Insight

The foreclosure fiasco that has seen paperwork errors paralyze the process in the US is another symptom of the disease that has crippled the US housing market. While both the Administration and commercial banks fully realize that a complete moratorium on foreclosures will devastate the housing market, the inevitable delay in the process will add another roadblock on the way to recovery to a market that is already suffocating under the weight of an unprecedented amount of negative equity and a mounting stock of shadow inventories. At this point, it is difficult to see what will prevent prices from heading lower again in the coming months.

 

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The 3 year fixed rate special of 2.9% has become extremely popular over the past few weeks

I wanted to pass along one of the strategies that is being used out there in the market place that's helped clients save a great deal of money on interest!

 

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Canadian dollar will stay strong, Bank of Canada projectsCanadian dollar will stay strong, Bank of Canada projects

The Bank of Canada is now assuming the Canadian dollar(CAD/USD-I1.00-0.003-0.34%) will stick near the parity mark.

The central bank has updated its projections about economic growth with the assumption the average value of the currency will be around 99 cents (U.S.). It previously thought the loonie would trade at about 96 cents.

 

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Homebuyers not worried about higher ratesHomebuyers not worried about higher rates

OTTAWA — The Bank of Canada may be concerned about the level of debt homeowners are assuming, but consumers who have recently taken out or renewed their mortgage are not. A new online survey of Canadians active in the mortgage market, including first-time buyers, shows the vast majority are not only comfortable with their level of debt, but two thirds think they will pay their loans off sooner than required.

 

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Resale home listings prices on the riseResale home listings prices on the rise

OTTAWA -- The number of resale homes on the market is rising in Canada -- and so are their prices, according to a report issued by the Conference Board of Canada on Friday. The board's Metro Resale Index shows home listings were up in March in 25 of the 28 markets measured - and by more than 10% over March of 2009 in most of those areas.

 

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Fixed or Float?

TORONTO - The popularity of combination mortgages - which offer both fixed and floating rate segments - is on the rise.

 

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