Author: Robert Jessi

Canada’s financial services sector, long characterised by stability and concentration among a handful of large banks, is undergoing a decisive digital transformation. Over the past 18 months, a confluence of regulatory reform, infrastructure modernisation and fintech innovation has begun to reshape how money moves, how data is shared and how consumers interact with financial institutions. The result is not merely incremental change, but the foundations of a more open, competitive and technology-driven system. The most significant shift has been the long-awaited arrival of consumer-driven banking, more commonly known as open banking. After years of consultation, the federal government confirmed in…

USD Thursday saw the dollar reverse its midweek slide, closing as the best performer in the G10 with the up around 0.3% to sit just shy of the 100 mark this morning. First, Hormuz optimism soured after Iranian state-linked media circulated a draft transit plan far more restrictive than markets had assumed, barring US and Israeli vessels and making full reopening conditional on Washington lifting its blockade. Second, labour market data surprised hawkishly, with Challenger layoffs at a two-year low, claims steady at 199k, and productivity beating alongside cooler unit labour costs. Whether or not that strength persists, however, now…

surpassed 1.3500 Friday after July payrolls printed minus 23,000 against an 80,000 consensus, then gave back part of the move as the dollar found a floor into the New York session. The pair had been drifting below 1.3450 pre-release, trapped inside the 1.3400–1.3500 band that has contained price action since the start of August. The setup into the number was tight. Thursday closed at 1.3451, down 0.11%, after a session that bounced off 1.3404 lows and stalled below 1.3486 highs. Wednesday printed 1.34607 and touched two-day highs past 1.3480 on the back of a soft ADP report — private payrolls…

Higher oil prices no longer offer the Canadian Dollar reliable support, with housing stress, weak growth and rate differentials now driving CAD. Canada’s Dollar used to have a fairly simple story. Oil went up, and the currency usually followed. That relationship has weakened considerably. MRB Partners says the Canadian Dollar’s historical sensitivity to crude oil has “diminished materially over the past decade”, leaving domestic housing, credit and growth risks with far more influence over the currency. “Historically, the CAD would have been a go-to currency on the back of higher oil prices,” MRB said, “but its historical beta to crude…

Modified: Thursday, 6 August 2026 22:31 BST – Written by David Woodsmith STORY LINK Pound-Canadian Dollar Forecast: BofA Sees Near-Term CAD Weakness The Pound to Canadian Dollar exchange rate (GBP/CAD) slipped to around 1.8856 on Thursday evening, trading close to its August low as firmer oil prices and caution ahead of Canada’s employment report supported the Canadian currency. Sterling struggled to benefit from a less severe contraction in UK construction, while bank forecasts remain divided over whether the Loonie can extend its recent recovery. GBP/CAD Forecasts: BofA USD/CAD call puts 1.94 in view Bank of America expects USD/CAD to rise to 1.44…

“Taxes are one of the biggest expenses associated with owning property,” said Raymond Williams, vice-chair for the Ontario chapter of the Canadian Property Tax Association. But he said: “It’s important to know that it can change, you can reduce them, and it’s just being aware of all the programs and options available.” Watch for property assessment errors Williams said every homeowner should periodically check their property taxes for any factual errors, such as the wrong lot size that their home was assessed on, or surprise tax increases. “If suddenly there’s a large jump in your taxes, chances are something changed on…

Morgan Stanley says European earnings show strongest season in years

 Canadian monetary policy is currently characterized by a deliberate pause, with the Bank of Canada maintaining its policy rate at 2.25% on June 10 as it navigates a complex macroeconomic backdrop. Policymakers assess that the current stance is appropriately calibrated to balance competing forces within the economy, including a weaker growth environment evidenced by a modest contraction in GDP in the first quarter of 2026 and persistent excess supply, alongside inflation dynamics in which headline inflation has been temporarily elevated by energy prices while underlying core measures remain contained in their trend.As illustrated in Figure 1, Canadian bond markets continue…

TD Securities strategists note that the US Dollar (USD) weakened after the disappointing July Payrolls report, but see limited downside against G10 currencies unless softer US inflation further reduces Fed hike expectations. They say EUR/USD may struggle to break above 1.16 without a benign CPI print, while USD losses could extend further against select EM currencies. They continue to expect the Fed to keep rates unchanged through 2026 and 2027.Dollar softer but still supported”Markets bull steepened on the negative headline print despite a drop in the UE rate to 4.1%. The print eased concerns over a reaccelerating labor market, leading…

Following a quiet opening to the week, Gold (XAU/USD) gathered bullish momentum and climbed to its highest level since mid-June above $4,300, supported by cooling geopolitical tensions and investors scaling back bets for a Federal Reserve (Fed) interest rate hike in September. As the near-term technical outlook highlights a buildup in bullish momentum, July inflation data from the United States (US) will test investors’ commitment to an extended rally. Gold rallies as markets reassess Fed policy outlookUS President Donald Trump announced over the weekend that he held off a planned “massive attack” and said that negotiations with Iran will resume on…