It’s not just a label for meat: halal investments target Islamic customers

Whether it’s mutual funds, savings accounts or stock trading, millions of Canadians depend on investments for their financial future.  But for some Muslims, faith took many monetary options off the table because of religious restrictions around concepts like paying — or being paid — interest. It meant for years Canadians like Ammar Maqsud, who observes those religious tenets, couldn’t even put money in … Read more

Canada’s economy stalled again in October but likely up 0.1% in November

Canada’s economy was essentially unchanged for the third consecutive month in October, missing growth forecasts, but gross domestic product likely edged up in November, Statistics Canada data showed on Friday. Analysts polled by Reuters had forecast a 0.2 per cent month-over-month rise. September’s GDP was downwardly revised to zero growth from an initial report of … Read more

Bank of Canada’s governing council agreed odds of another interest rate hike have fallen

The Bank of Canada’s governing council agreed the odds of another rate hike have decreased during its discussions ahead of the interest rate decision earlier this month. The central bank released its summary of deliberations for its Dec. 6 interest rate decision Tuesday, revealing the governing council felt more optimistic about the country’s inflation outlook. … Read more

Outlook good for Canadian oil and gas sector, says industry report, but risks remain

Canada’s upstream oil and gas industry and drilling services sector has a “very favourable” outlook for 2024, according to Enserva’s State of the Industry report released on Thursday. Key highlights of the report show that oil prices are expected to remain strong, demand will be robust, export capacity will increase, and investment and drilling activity are set … Read more

Tiff Macklem says 2024 will be a transition year for economy, too soon to consider rate cuts

Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem says he expects 2024 to be a transition year as higher interest rates slow down the economy, making way for lower inflation. In his final speech of the year, the governor laid out his expectations for a softer economy next year and offered criteria for the central bank to start discussing rate … Read more

U.S. Federal Reserve leaves key interest rate unchanged, expects 3 rate cuts in 2024

For a third straight time, the U.S. Federal Reserve kept its key interest rate unchanged Wednesday, as it signalled its expectations to make a series of quarter-point cuts to the benchmark interest rate next year. Those envisioned rate cuts — which wouldn’t likely begin until the second half of 2024 — suggest officials think high borrowing rates … Read more

Surge in newcomers putting pressure on inflation via housing demand: BoC official

The recent surge in newcomers is adding to inflation through housing demand, a senior Bank of Canada official said Thursday, warning rental and home prices could continue to rise without a boost to housing supply. In a speech in Windsor, Ont., deputy governor Toni Gravelle acknowledged many of the benefits coming from this rise in immigration, … Read more

Nigeria has sufficient manpower for economic development

President Bola Tinubu says Nigeria has the requisite and sufficient manpower to spur development across all sectors of the economy. Receiving a report titled, ‘Industrialisation, Energy Security, and Climate Change: Issues, Challenges and Prospects,’ submitted by the Senior Executive Course 45 of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), in Abuja, on Friday, … Read more