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Canadians Gain More Room to Save with 2025 TFSA Limit

  The Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA) contribution limit for 2025 has been set at $7,000 , giving Canadians another opportunity to grow their investments tax-free. Since its launch in 2009, the TFSA has become one of the most popular savings tools in the country, offering flexibility and tax advantages that appeal to both short-term savers and long-term investors. For those who have never contributed to a TFSA and were eligible since the beginning, the total cumulative contribution room now stands at $102,000 . This allows Canadians to deposit a significant amount into their accounts without worrying about taxes on investment gains, dividends, or withdrawals. One of the TFSA’s biggest advantages is that withdrawals are tax-free and the amount withdrawn is added back to your contribution room the following year . This makes it ideal for saving toward major purchases, retirement, or even emergency funds. Unlike RRSPs, contributions are not tax-deductible, but the growth inside the...

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Oil prices slump to six-month low amid weak demand and oversupply

 


Oil prices have fallen to their lowest level since June, as concerns about weak demand and oversupply weigh on the market. The spread of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus has led to new travel restrictions and lower economic growth expectations, reducing the outlook for oil consumption. At the same time, oil producers have increased their output, creating a glut of supply that exceeds demand.

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), U.S. crude oil inventories rose by 3.6 million barrels last week, while gasoline stocks jumped by 5.7 million barrels, indicating sluggish demand for fuel. The EIA also lowered its forecast for global oil demand growth in 2023 by 100,000 barrels per day (bpd) to 4.1 million bpd.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) echoed the bearish sentiment, saying that the Omicron variant is expected to temporarily slow the recovery in oil demand that is underway. The IEA also cut its demand projections for 2022 and 2023 by 100,000 bpd each, mainly due to the expected impact on jet fuel use from new travel curbs.

Oil prices have also been pressured by a stronger U.S. dollar, which makes oil more expensive for buyers using other currencies. The dollar has risen on expectations that the Federal Reserve will tighten its monetary policy sooner than expected to curb inflation, which hit an 11-year high in November.

Brent crude, the international benchmark, settled down $4.42, or 5.9%, at $70.62 a barrel on Wednesday, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI), the U.S. benchmark, dropped $4.60, or 6.2%, to $69.34 a barrel. Both benchmarks have lost more than 10% since hitting multi-year highs in October.

Some analysts expect oil prices to rebound in the coming months, as the impact of the Omicron variant fades and demand recovers. However, others warn that the market could remain volatile and oversupplied, especially if the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies (OPEC+) decide to increase their production further in January.

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