June 19, 2010
China Loosens Currency Peg
In a surprise announcement on Saturday, the People’s Bank of China (PBOC) announced it would break the 23-month fixed peg in the yuan MORE

June 18, 2010
Fed Easing Coming?
The U.S. economy is losing momentum and price pressures continue to fall MORE

June 10, 2010
Err on the Side of Ease
The move toward worldwide fiscal restraint runs the risk of weakening the economic recovery MORE

May 14, 2010
Global Credit Crisis Morphs Into a Global Debt Crisis
With the onslaught of the credit crisis in the fall of 2008, every country in the G20 agreed to stimulate their economies by boosting government spending and/or cutting taxes MORE

April 23, 2010
U.S. Pessimism is Overblown
There is just too much pessimism in and regarding the U.S. these days MORE

April 16, 2010
Productivity Gap Misleading
The record productivity gap between Canada and the U.S. has generated much handwringing MORE

March 26, 2010
Health Care Reform Needed in Canada
Ironically, while the U.S. is going through the excruciating process of developing a more broadly available health care system, Ontario is working to reduce government provisions to hospitals in an effort to balance the budget MORE

March 24, 2010
Fed Decision Making—Why New Appointments to the Fed Don’t Really Matter
According to media reports, President Obama is poised to name economist Janet Yellen to be Vice Chair of the Federal Reserve Board MORE

March 23, 2010
Canada's Disturbing Productivity Performance
The Canadian economy has clearly pulled out of recession with 5% growth in the fourth quarter and good momentum heading into this year MORE

March 12, 2010
The U.S. Foreclosure Crisis
Without doubt, the U.S. economy is showing signs of significant recovery in many sectors and regions MORE

March 2, 2010
Canadian Calm in a Turbulent Sea
Canada’s domestic economy has rebounded strongly from the financial crisis and global recession MORE

January 26, 2010
Don't Rock the Boat
Now more than ever, the biggest risk to sustained recovery is the political response to the fallout of the financial crisis and its impact on consumer and business sentiment MORE

January 22, 2010
U.S. Labour's Lost Dynamism
For a generation that was known for its job-hopping and entrepreneurial spirit, boomer kids—now in their twenties and thirties—are suffering from significant career malaise MORE

January 8, 2010
The End of the Bull Market in Bonds?
Even the most bullish bond fund managers will admit that, in time, U.S. government bond yields will head higher MORE

December 9, 2009
The Tax-Free Savings Account Is a Real Winner
In a surprise addition to the 2008 federal budget, the Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA) was born MORE

December 8, 2009
The Clouds Really Are Parting
The much-better-than-expected November employment numbers for Canada and the United States confirmed that the recession has ended and the recovery is underway MORE

December 4, 2009
China Scolds Western Leaders
China has been flexing its muscles a lot lately MORE

November 13, 2009
Let's Cut a Deal
The falling U.S. dollar is grabbing enough attention these days that the Chinese authorities are signalling they will consider allowing their currency to edge upward once again MORE

October 22, 2009
Sherry Cooper Takes Questions from the Globe and Mail
Dr. Cooper joined a forum at the Globe and Mail’s web site to take your questions about small business and the recession. MORE

October 15, 2009
The U.S. Dollar’s Decline Is Not Such a Bad Thing
Many have suggested that the fall in the U.S. dollar is reflective of the sad state of American economic affairs replete with surging budget deficits, profligate consumer spending, overleveraged banks, enormous current account deficits and an increasing reliance on foreign capital inflows to finance the overspending MORE

October 2, 2009
Remaking the Retirement Plan, Post-Crisis
Well before the financial crisis and recession, the traditional concept of retirement was outmoded MORE

September 18, 2009
U.S. Job Woes: Canada 1990s Redux
There is a new kind of unemployment in the U.S.—long duration structural unemployment MORE

September 11, 2009
Pain Not Over Yet
By now, it is pretty obvious that the financial crisis is behind us and the global economy is experiencing a synchronized recovery MORE

September 9, 2009
Unbelievable
An article in today’s Wall Street Journal highlighted the possibility of the Chinese Investment Corporation (CIC)—the sovereign wealth fund responsible for investing roughly $300 billion (and growing) of China’s foreign exchange reserves—investing in U.S. commercial real estate which is already down roughly 35% from its peak MORE

September 4, 2009
Who's Doing All of the Saving?
Are households rebuilding their savings in the wake of the economic and financial collapse or is the rise in savings, measured as a residual in the national income accounts, merely a statistical illusion? MORE

August 28, 2009
Upward Revision in Q3 U.S. Growth
We are revising upward our forecast for third quarter growth in the U.S. by a full percentage point, from an estimated 2.8% to 3.8% MORE

August 21, 2009
An Irresistible Opportunity for Successful U.S. Fiscal Stimulus
While everyone knows that the American consumer has been the weak link in this recovery, in one sector the fiscal stimulus has opened consumer wallets MORE

August 17, 2009
Strengthening Canadian-Chinese Ties
In the wake of the global recession and the plunge in the Canadian trade balance to a deficit position, Canada is working hard to strengthen business ties with Brazil, Russia, India and China, or the so-called BRIC countries MORE

August 12, 2009
As Expected, No Fed Policy Change
The Fed is more optimistic about the economic outlook than it was in late June MORE

July 24, 2009
Pain Not Over Yet
Since 2007, with the beginning of the U.S. housing meltdown and the ensuing financial crisis, there has been a global decline in private sector spending, a dramatic shrinkage in global trade and an unprecedented spike in government spending MORE

July 17, 2009
The Painful Process of Deleveraging
The U.S. credit bubble in the 1990s through 2007 enabled a tremendous amount of consumer and business over-spending MORE

July 10, 2009
Let's Get Real
Many fear that mounting deficits and debt will trigger inflation in the future and call for a Fed exit strategy; others are now clamouring for additional fiscal stimulus MORE

July 2, 2009
Employment and the Fed
Those who have been calling for a Fed exit strategy from the extraordinary degree of monetary ease should be silenced by the June employment results MORE

June 8, 2009
Post-Crisis Withdrawal
As financial markets heal, banks are shying away from government assistance, betting that they can rely fully on the markets to build capital positions MORE

June 5, 2009
Worst Is Behind Us
Signs of improvement in the U.S. housing market, rising consumer confidence and a rally in financial stocks in the U.S. and Canada suggest that the economies are bottoming and the worst of the financial crisis is behind us MORE

May 28, 2009
Bet You Things Are Better Than You Think
There is increasing reason to believe that the worst of the financial crisis is behind us and the U.S. and global economies are bottoming MORE

May 15, 2009
Running the Printing Presses to Fund the Deficit
Many are concerned that, despite today’s very weak April CPI reading of ‑0.7% year-over-year, the huge monetary and fiscal stimulus in the U.S. will ultimately debase the currency MORE

May 3, 2009
Swine flu threatens to kick economies when they are down
In the midst of the longest and perhaps deepest global recession in the postwar period, the last thing we need is rising protectionism, travel advisories and reduced business and consumer activity MORE

April 29, 2009
Fed Still Adding Juice
Although the Fed announced no new initiatives today, clearly the tone of the press release suggests that the Fed will continue to support previously announced credit easing and expects to do so “for an extended period” MORE

April 27, 2009
Swine Flu: Let's Not Get Carried Away
My phone has been ringing off the hook this morning with media requests to discuss the economic implications of a swine flu pandemic MORE

April 24, 2009
Investing Is No Longer Child's Play
The Bank of Canada made it clear this week that our economy is contracting far more than they earlier expected MORE

March 25, 2009
Future of Finance Conference
The Who’s Who of finance descended upon Washington, D.C. Monday for 24 hours of policy analysis MORE

March 18, 2009
More Good News
Bernanke is the man, clearly the best spokesperson for the Obama administration, raising his odds of reappointment this summer MORE

March 13, 2009
Finally, Some Good News
No doubt about it, the Canadian employment nosedive in February is bad news, but it is bad news that is in lagged response to what has already been happening around the world MORE

March 11, 2009
More Signs of Hope Needed
We are in a negative-news cycle, to say the least, and it is difficult to see a near-term end to it based on incoming data, heated policy debates and wealth-obliterating market activity MORE

February 27, 2009
A More Prudent Society
It has now been publicized around the world just how strong our banking system is in Canada MORE

February 5, 2009
The Demonization of Banks
The global financial landscape is changing rapidly and perhaps nowhere more so than in the U.S. MORE

January 30, 2009
Can You Count on Dividends?
In the U.S., the answer is certainly no. MORE

January 28, 2009
Fed Does Not Dispel Confusion
The Federal Reserve just wrapped up its first policy meeting of the New Year MORE

January 27, 2009
The Advil Budget
The 2009 Canadian budget is chock-full of government spending and rather light on the side of tax cuts, but the truth is that domestic fiscal stimulus can only ease the pain of the global recession and credit crisis MORE

January 23, 2009
Deflationary Forces Accelerate
Layoffs and reductions in hours worked have been accelerating in recent months and cover firms in virtually every sector of the U.S. economy. MORE

January 9, 2009
Recession Worsens
The latest jobs data signal that the year-long U.S. recession is worsening and the Canadian recession is moving in with full force MORE

December 18, 2008
One Major Lesson
One major lesson learned in 2008 is that financial losses spill quickly into the real economy MORE

December 16, 2008
Fed Slashes Rate to 0-to-25 bps Range; Historic Use of Fed Balance Sheet to Ease
The Federal Reserve has every reason to ease aggressively and it certainly did MORE

December 5, 2008
Forget Old-Time Fiscal Stimulus
With today's dismal employment report, there is no doubt that the Canadian economy is in recession and the U.S. contraction is accelerating MORE

December 3, 2008
Tough Times, Aggressive Actions
There is growing evidence that the global economic slump is deepening and that consumer and business access to credit is shrinking. MORE

November 21, 2008
Urgent Action Needed
Canadians have been far too sanguine thinking that we would be cushioned from the crisis in credit and the global recession MORE

November 15, 2008
GM Bailout - Part 2
Yesterday, in a note to clients, I acknowledged that there are two sides to the GM-bailout controversy MORE

November 14, 2008
Should the U.S. Government Bail Out GM?
Washington is currently struggling with the issue of whether or not to bail out the domestic auto industry, most immediately, GM. MORE

November 6, 2008
Recession Darkens
With the U.S. election behind us, markets are focussed on the serious negative impact the financial crisis had on the economy since late September MORE

November 5, 2008
National Catharsis
President-elect Barack Obama has won a decisive victory, drawing support from all regions of the country and all segments of the population MORE

October 16, 2008
The Consumer Recession
The sizable decline in stocks in the past two days reflects the growing awareness that the U.S. economy is going into a deeper and more protracted recession than expected MORE

October 10, 2008
Paulson and the G-7 Do the Right Thing
U.S. Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson just announced that the TARP would be buying not only troubled bank assets, but will also infuse capital into banks and other financial firms directly MORE

October 10, 2008
More Action-Crisis Intensifies
All overnight indicators suggest that the crisis is intensifying despite ballooning rescue efforts by governments all over the world MORE

October 9, 2008
The Wealthy Boomer interviews Sherry Cooper
Jonathan Chevreau of the National Post interviews Sherry Cooper on her book, The New Retirement. MORE

October 8, 2008
Global Rate Cuts... Finally!
In the face of intensifying financial market turmoil, major global central banks swooped in this morning with an unprecedented coordinated interest rate cut. MORE

October 7, 2008
Unbelievable Complexity
The Fed and Treasury will do whatever it takes to unfreeze credit markets. MORE

October 1, 2008
Quarterly Web Cast and Dividend Stock Screen
Sherry's latest web cast, and the latest update of the dividend stock screen featured in Sherry Cooper's book, The New Retirement MORE

September 26, 2008
Economists Weigh In
There is nothing I could write at this moment that might not be superseded by events in the next few hours. MORE

September 19, 2008
Stock Market Applauds U.S. Government Plan
What a week this has been. MORE

September 16, 2008
No Rate Change, Easing Bias
In a unanimous decision, policymakers did not cut the benchmark fed funds rate, despite the market’s call for an easing move. MORE

September 15, 2008
Fed Widens Collateral
Judging from my press calls early this morning, there appears to be a good deal of opacity in what the Fed has said regarding a broadening of the collateral it is willing to hold on short-term emergency loans to primary dealers. MORE

September 14, 2008
Wild Day Tomorrow
Unfortunately, as of 4:00 p.m. today (Sunday) the news on an orderly takeover of Lehman Brothers does not look good. MORE

September 11, 2008
Recovery Still a Year Away
With continued financial instability and the deceleration in global growth, Canada's economy has slowed and the TSX has fallen sharply on the heels of commodity price declines. MORE

August 29, 2008
The New Cold War
Russia began the latest flexing of its political and economic muscles as China, with the Beijing Olympics, was about to begin its triumphant coming out party. MORE

August 22, 2008
Hedge Funds Face Shock Waves
Things are tough and getting tougher in the hedge fund (HF) business. MORE

August 7, 2008
Fed Policy Tighter than Normal at 2% Fed Funds
While the Fed decided to leave its benchmark interest rate at 2% this week, well below the level suggested by the Taylor Rule, credit conditions in the U.S. are much tighter than this rate would suggest. MORE

August 1, 2008
Obama Just Found His Middle-America Appeal
With Obama still running behind McCain in the industrial heartland, among both male and female voters in states such as Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia, news widely reported today that Wal-Mart has formally and officially informed managers that a vote for the Democrats is a vote for unionization will not sit well with America’s traditional middle class MORE

July 18, 2008
A Global Presidential Campaign
What better evidence is there that globalization is real and permanent than the foreign trips of both presidential candidates? MORE

July 15, 2008
Crisis Widens
The U.S. financial markets and the U.S. economy are in crisis and the ramifications for the rest of the world are enormous MORE

July 7, 2008
Next Shock: Currency Crisis?
The malaise of the U.S. economy is palpable MORE

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BMO Nesbitt Burns Economics