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Markets Update: Wall Street Takes a Memorial Day Pause as Asian Stocks Surge to Records

It's a split-holiday Monday for global investors. While American traders step away from their screens for Memorial Day — leaving the NYSE and Nasdaq dark until Tuesday — the Toronto Stock Exchange is open for business , and markets across Asia are delivering some of the most dramatic moves of the year. Here's everything you need to know before the North American week kicks into full gear. Canada — TSX Open While the US Rests The S&P/TSX Composite Index closed Friday, May 22 at 34,471.36 , up a modest 0.18%, as financials provided support heading into the long weekend. With Victoria Day already behind us (it fell on May 18 this year), the TSX is the only major North American exchange open today, which could translate into lighter-than-usual volumes as cross-border activity slows. The loonie was last quoted near CAD/USD 0.7242 , holding relatively steady as oil prices — a key driver of Canada's export revenues — remain in focus amid evolving Middle East negotiations. Wa...
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Canada’s economy shrinks in Q3 amid export and consumer woes

 


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Canada’s economy shrinks in Q3 amid export and spending woes

Canada’s economy contracted by 1.1 per cent on an annualized basis in the third quarter of 2023, according to Statistics Canada. This was a much weaker result than expected by analysts and the Bank of Canada, which had forecast a slight growth of 0.1 per cent and 0.8 per cent, respectively.

The main factors behind the economic decline were a drop in exports, a slump in business investment, and a stagnation in consumer spending. Exports fell by 5.1 per cent, reflecting lower shipments of energy products, motor vehicles, and aircraft. Business investment decreased by 10.1 per cent, as firms reduced their spending on machinery and equipment, intellectual property, and non-residential structures. Consumer spending was flat, as households saved more of their income amid rising interest rates.

The only bright spots in the third quarter were government spending, which increased by 7.3 per cent, boosted by a one-time GST/HST credit payment, and residential housing investment, which rose by 8.3 per cent, driven by a surge in new construction.

The Canadian economy also performed poorly compared with the U.S. economy, which grew by 5.2 per cent in the same period. Canada has been more sensitive to the impact of higher interest rates, which have been raised by the Bank of Canada to 5 per cent from 0.25 per cent since early 2022. The central bank has recently signalled that it may pause or reverse its tightening cycle, as inflation has eased and economic growth has faltered.

Some economists believe that the third quarter contraction was a temporary setback and that the economy will rebound in the fourth quarter and beyond. Statistics Canada estimated that GDP grew by 0.2 per cent in October, indicating a modest recovery. However, others warn that the economy may face more headwinds in the new year, such as the ongoing supply chain disruptions, the spread of the new COVID-19 variant, and the uncertainty over the federal fiscal policy.

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