Economic Indicators

China reports 6.9% growth in 2017 on strong retail sales, exports

China's economy gained steam in 2017

By Kelvin Chan, The Associated Press |January 18, 2018

3 min read

Quebec raising minimum wage to $12 as of May 1

Quebec will raise the province’s minimum wage to $12 an hour as of May 1, Labour Minister Dominique Vien announced Wednesday. More than 352,000 workers stand to benefit from the 75-cent increase, the largest hike in Quebec history. Vien said in a statement the rise is in line with a four-year plan to have the […]

By Lia Levesque, The Canadian Press |January 17, 2018

2 min read

BoC hikes interest rate to 1.25% on strong economic data

The Bank of Canada (BoC) today raised its target for the overnight rate to 1.25%, an increase of a quarter of a percentage point. The bank rate is correspondingly 1.50%, and the deposit rate is 1.00%. The change is expected to prompt Canada’s large banks to raise their prime lending rates, a move that will […]

By Staff, with files from The Canadian Press |January 17, 2018

4 min read

Get ready for more volatility

Over the next year, position portfolios against rate hikes and rising risk

By Sarah Cunningham-Scharf |January 17, 2018

4 min read