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Monday’s CPI Could Decide Your Next Mortgage Payment

  Canada lost 68,000 jobs in September. Inflation is sitting at 3%. The Bank of Canada has to decide on October 28 which of those facts matters more, and on Monday morning one more number lands to help it choose. If you carry a variable-rate mortgage, a HELOC or a renewal this winter, that number has a price tag. Two reports pulling in opposite directions The jobs data came first. Statistics Canada reported on October 9 that employment fell by 68,000 in September, pushing the unemployment rate to 6.5% from 6.4%. It followed a drop of about 42,000 in August, which means more than half of the 181,000 jobs gained between April and July have now been wiped out. Ontario shed 20,000 positions on its own. Markets reacted within hours: the odds of a quarter-point Bank of Canada hike on October 28 dropped to roughly 25% from about 40%, according to LSEG data reported by Reuters. Inflation is telling the opposite story. The consumer price index rose 3.0% year over year in August, matching Ju...

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Wall Street Treads Cautiously Amid Earnings Surge

 


As the earnings season reaches its midway point, Wall Street finds itself in a delicate balancing act. Here’s a snapshot of today’s market dynamics:

  • S&P 500 (GSPC) futures edged up by less than 0.1% before the opening bell.
  • Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) futures experienced a marginal decline, shedding less than 0.1%.

Investors are closely monitoring corporate results, but optimism for a March interest rate cut is waning. Recent data confirms the resilience of the U.S. economy, despite the Federal Reserve’s efforts to curb inflation through interest rate hikes. Notable highlights include:

  1. Strong Services Sector: A report on Monday revealed that U.S. services industries are growing faster than expected, reflecting economic strength.
  1. Labor Market Resilience: Friday’s robust jobs report indicated a still-strong labor market, despite ongoing layoffs.

Market sentiment suggests that the Fed’s projected interest rate cuts may be pushed back to June, rather than May. Traders are adjusting their expectations accordingl.

In equities trading, some key movers include:

  • Tesla (TSLA): The electric car company continues to slide, losing over 2% in premarket trading. Concerns about recalls and future earnings weigh on investor confidence.
  • FMC: The Philadelphia chemical maker saw a 14% premarket tumble after falling short of Wall Street expectations in sales and profit.
  • Spotify (SPOT): The music streaming and podcast platform surged more than 6% after reporting stronger-than-expected subscriber growth, despite revenue missing analyst targets.

As we await earnings reports from heavyweights like CVS Health, The Walt Disney Co., and PepsiCo, the market remains cautiously optimistic. Stay tuned for further developments as the earnings season unfolds! 

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