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Big Bank Earnings Wrap: What RBC and CIBC Reveal About Your Mortgage

  Royal Bank and CIBC reported record or near-record profits before the market opened Thursday, closing out a jam-packed bank earnings week that also included BMO, Scotiabank and National Bank. Beyond the headline numbers, though, the details tucked into these reports say a lot about where mortgage rates, lending standards and household credit stress are actually heading — and it's a more reassuring picture than a lot of the tariff-and-tension headlines this month might suggest. RBC: Record Profit, Credit Quality Barely Budged Royal Bank of Canada posted net income of $6.0 billion for the quarter ended July 31, up 11% from a year earlier and a record for the bank. Diluted earnings per share came in at $4.23, up 13% year-over-year, while return on equity climbed to 17.9%. The number worth watching for anyone with a mortgage isn't the profit line — it's the provision for credit losses (PCL), the money banks set aside for loans that might go bad. RBC's total PCL was $1.0 b...

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Devastating Earthquake Strikes Myanmar and Thailand, Leaving Over 150 Dead

 

A powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar and Thailand on March 28, 2025, causing widespread destruction and loss of life. The epicenter was located near Mandalay, Myanmar's second-largest city, and the tremors were felt as far as Bangkok, Thailand's bustling capital.

In Myanmar, at least 144 people lost their lives, and over 730 were injured. The quake caused buildings, bridges, and even a monastery to collapse, leaving rescue teams scrambling to pull survivors from the rubble. The situation is dire, with blood supplies running low and the death toll expected to rise.

In Thailand, the earthquake claimed at least 10 lives in Bangkok, where a high-rise under construction collapsed, leaving many injured and over 100 people missing. The city's residents were evacuated from high-rise buildings as aftershocks, including one measuring 6.4 magnitude, continued to shake the region.

The disaster has prompted international aid efforts, with the United Nations allocating $5 million to support relief operations. However, the full extent of the damage remains unclear, particularly in Myanmar, which is already grappling with a humanitarian crisis due to ongoing civil conflict.

This tragic event serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerability of the region to seismic activity and the urgent need for disaster preparedness and support.


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