Taxes are going up, TO condo prices are going down and recreational property up 15% to 40% in the Canadian market.

How the US will Inflate its Debt Away

Government can inflate its way out of debt.
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Why are Interest rates not falling.

A look at why interest rates are not falling despite UK economy going into recession. Is the Bank of England making a miscalculation to focus on inflation rather than growth?
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Goldman Sachs’ top AI picks

Brook Dane, portfolio manager at Goldman Sachs Asset Management, joins The Exchange to discuss the firm\'s top AI picks and the reasoning behind these picks.
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Does Printing Money Cause Inflation?

The link between the money supply and inflation.
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HSBC, the Untouchable Titan of Global Finance

From the filmmaker behind \'Goldman Sachs: The Bank that Rules the World\' comes a compelling new exposé delving into corruption within one of the globe\'s premier financial institutions – HSBC.
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US Economist’s Shock Warning: “Biggest Crash in Ou

This time, it’s got to crash 86% for the S&P 500 just to get back to the last low in early 2009, cautions Harry Dent
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Toni Gravelle Speech

On December 7, 2023, Deputy Governor Toni Gravelle speaks before the Windsor-Essex Regional Chamber of Commerce.
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Alberta Premier on the Supreme Court\'s ruling, an

Danielle Smith, Alberta\'s Premier, joins BNN Bloomberg to discuss the Supreme Court\'s ruling against Ottawa\'s environmental impact law, and the possibility of Alberta abandoning the Canada Pension Plan to run its own stand-alone fund.
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What Bank of America Just Said is Shocking

Bull market based on hype not reality.
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Horrific Canadian Banking Corruption Right Before

Fasten your seat belts as the banks continue moral hazard.
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The Banking System is in Free-Fall

Fall as Deposits Leave in Record Numbers Amid a Collapse in Lending
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The Financialization of Real Estate

REITS, private investors, private equity are using housing to prime their portfolios.
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Bitcoin regulations are coming

Lovers and haters of Bitcoin are polarized over the Ponzi. One thing is clear, regulations are coming.
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Are we in a bubble and, if so, when will it pop?

Since 2008 Canada has been pushing home prices higher. Canadian homes are considered by many to be the least affordable of all G20 nations. What gives?
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Canadian real estate and government, March 29

The latest Canadian real estate and government news. Risk of collapse, end of QE and rate rise are some of the issues discussed. Also the governments poor foreign policies on Ukraine are covered.
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FIRE report January 12th

Indigenous banking part 2 a continuation of earlier discussion of First Nations Bank. Other news:-Inflation-M&A under scrutiny-RBC has eyes on Europe
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BOC and reconciliation with Indigenous people

The Bank of Canada and other central banks, in conjunction with indigenous leaders want reconciliation and better economic outcomes for individuals. This video explores what is happening, gives the back story and sets the stage for a more in-depth analysis.
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Nov 26 FIRE report

Inflation and tariffs hit Trudeau in the face. Oil route as new strain goes viral. BNPL benefits questioned and investors open their wallets to receive dividends.
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FSIM FIRE report Nov 23

Duobank/Fairstone merger & Amozon boycott of Visa along with recent banking, insurance and real estate news from Canada.
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Nov 18th FIRE report

The latest financial news from the financial services industry monitor. Insurance companies should know that in 1990 BC flooding devastated the same flood plains as today. This report features coverage of insane inflation, interest rates hikes and the ongoing real estate melt-up.
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Poloz debunked, Nov 12 FIRE report

Poloz is wrong about inflation, university pension funds are out of their league, Home Capital run away, real estate wars and more from the financial services industry monitor.
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Central bank digital currencies: foundational prin

Central bank digital currencies: foundational principles and core features
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Nov 5th FIRE report

Topics todayDividends are backHigher interest rates are comingCOP26: Central bankers making miners richTO real estate melt-up
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FIRE report November 2nd

The latest Canadian FIRE news covering inflation risk and opportunities, Canadian Western bank expansion, governance and stablecoins.
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Canadian real estate February 24

Recap of recent real estate news in Canada. Tiff Macklem and market exuberance, cottage country price appreciation and the rise of lumber prices.
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Real estate: Feb 9, bulls vs bears

Bulls versus the bears, this week in the Canadian real estate industry.
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Feb 1, The Dumb Money Real Estate Vid

We a living a ponzi real estate market and the economy is at risk. Yet Doug Porter, economist BMO, is on record as saying Candian\'s want to pay more for houses. Yes, you can\'t make this stuff up. This video discusses the issues related to Porter\'s statement and explains why he is wrong.
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January real estate report 2021

2020 was a record year, except for condos. Montreal REM sites the exception to this rule. This video shares insights regarding the Canadian real estate segment.
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December 4th real estate report

Taxes are going up, TO condo prices are going down and recreational property up 15% to 40% in the Canadian market.
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Real estate, mortgage debt to income ratio improve

The mortgage debt to income ratio declined despite the pandemic. In this issue I discuss real estate stalling and immigration's impact on home prices.
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Real estate: fiscal conservatism/ponzi neoliberali

This video is intended to give viewers an understanding of the economic ideas behind Canada's potential housing bubble. This video also explains why Siddal, President and CEO of the CMHC, was likely pushed from his post.
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Caution for real estate investors, Oct 14th report

October 14th real estate report describing the issues in the market the last two weeks.
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Canadian bank industry overview - part 1

Overview of Canadian banking industry. This multi-part series looks at issues facing Canadian banks from a variety of angles. Part 1 examines the types of banks and scale using ROE and EBITDA as measures.
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Why insurance should partner with flood-claim.com

'Pros on the Go', a Fierce Tartan company are seeking insurance partners to pilot its new solution for streamlining the claims process.
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Canadian large bank comparison

Using financial data, Mark Sibthorpe compares the performance of TD bank to its rivals. TD grew faster in 2017 than its rivals, but was cited for aggressive sales practices.
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Current state of fintech in Canada

Mr. Michael R. King, Tangerine Chair in Finance and Co-Director, Scotiabank Digital Banking Lab / Ivey Business School at Western University
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XE.com explains their Big Data and AI strategy.

This video covers XE.com's presentation at the AI, Big Data and Analytics event which took place in Toronto February 7/8, 2018. Cecelia Tamez and Jean Louis provide insights into their evolution and winning strategy.
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Greenpeace urges TD bank boycott

Greenpeace's campaign to stop TD financing the oil sands is delusional. Trillions of dollars are at stake for the banks and the Canadian economy. This video explores the related financial issues.
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Insurance flood US vs Can comparison.

This video provides an overview of the main differences between Canada's approach to overland flooding versus the US approach.
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Canadian bank industry overview part 5

Canadian bank overview part 5, medium-large banks. Banks include Manulife, Tangerine and Laurentian Bank.
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Canadian banking industry overview part 4

Canadian banking industry overview of Canadian Tire Bank, Presidents Choice Financial, Equitable Bank, B2B Bank
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Part 3 Canadian bank industry overview

Overview of small-medium size banks in Canada. Banks covered include Versabank, Hollis Bank, Equity Bank and Caisse Populaire Acadienne.
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Canadian banking overview - part 2

Review of small banks including Bridgewater,Vancity Bank, Concentra, Wealth One, Zag...
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Death to bitcoin, long live bitcoin

Jamie Dimon calls bitcoin a fraud used by criminals, yet he has jumped into the blockchain with both feet.
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RBC to integrate Wave Technologies

RBC invested $24 million into Wave Technologies and now they will roll out Waves accounting, invoicing, reporting and billing platform to SMEs.
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Deposits have skyrocketed since the start of the p

Canadian banks have increased their deposits by $127 billion since the start of the pandemic. This video uses charts to show which banks gained the most and how.
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About

About BankNews TV: financial services industry monitor (FSIM), analytics and research

Latest news and events for Canadian financial service companies, analytics, fintech and AI. BankNews.TV provide the latest technology news and reports for banks and insurance companies looking to compete in a rapidly changing market.

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Research

Part 2: The Merchant Loyalty Industrial Complex Collapse  

fsim.ca/docs/Credit_cards_Part_2v4.pdf

Mark Sibthorpe

Since November 2, 2021, Loyalty Ventures Inc.'s (Airmiles) market cap has decreased from $861.42M to $2.11M, a decrease of -99.75%. This compares closely to 2018, when Aimia sold Aeroplan back to Air Canada and partners TD and CIBC for $238 million. For reference, in 2005 Aeroplan launched an IPO valuing it at $2 billion. Related to Aimia’s downfall, it had also previously sold the UK Nectar program to Sainsburys for $120 million, $580 million lower than it paid for Nectar in 2007.

This report digs under the surface and uncovers why loyalty is going the way of the dodo.


Merchants should not waste time fighting card networks  

fsim.ca/docs/Card_fees_ongoing.pdf

Mark Sibthorpe

This is part one of a two part assessment of merchant frustration due to high credit card fees. The second part of this report will outline an alternative approach that merchants can consider. An approach that is a win for them and also for the card networks.


The full story of SVB March 12th, 2023  

fsim.ca/docs/SVB_special_report2.pdf

Mark Sibthorpe

Aggregated news and research related to SVB. Apart from SVB, included in this report is related news with respect to other banks and non-traditional companies looking to add financial services that also appear risky.


March 2023 bank earnings summary  

fsim.ca/docs/bankearningsfriday.pdf

Mark Sibthorpe

This report provides a snapshot into recent bank earnings and related news as published in fsim.ca reports.


Real estate report: October 30th, 2020  

fsim.ca/docs/Oct30rereportv1.pdf

Mark Sibthorpe

The big buzz in real estate recently is Mark Carney being scooped up by Brookfield. This means more juice for riskier borrowers. Brookfield, a huge player in real estate, both residential and commercial, recently bought its remaining shares from Sagen (Genworth MI Canada), which values the company at $3.8 bn.


VersaBank’s New High-Security VPN Proving Especially Valuable During COVID-19 Pandemic  

fsim.ca/docs/TailscaleReleaseMarch30FINAL.pdf

Press Release

VersaBank (TSX:VB) (“VB” or the “Bank”) today announced the implementation of its new high security Virtual Private Network (VPN) remote access software solution, developed in partnership with Tailscale, a leading provider of secure network connectivity solutions. The software enables VersaBank employees to securely and directly connect to all the Bank’s servers across multiple offices and cloud providers, using two factor authentication and with every connection encrypted. The Tailscale-based solution uses the Office 365 setup and Windows client/server applications that the Bank already had in place.


2014 FSIM when Bernanke visited Montreal  

fsim.ca/docs/MockBernanke.pdf

Mark Sibthorpe

Considering Bernanke is hated by the Republicans and hated even more by the Democrats, and is currently under scrutiny for saving AIG but not Lehman, (in hindsight) with respect to issues over solvency vs liquidity, the Montreal lovefest attended by 1,100 people yesterday must have been a welcome respite. Click the link to read the entire 2014 report.


Eisman's big Canadian bank short  

fsim.ca/docs/eisman2.pdf

Mark Sibthorpe

I have been reporting on Steve Eisman's short position for quite some time.  As the analyst reaction to Eisman shows (link below), Eisman has taken a lot of heat for shorting Canadian banks. Instead of capitulating, in September 2019 he publicly disclosed the fact that he added Canadian Tire to his position, He explains the rationale for this in a BNN interview late 2019. Essentially, his big concern with respect to banks was non-performing loans in Alberta. He feels Canadian bank CEOs are not prepared for a credit cycle. He specifically referenced ATB (a private bank) in discussing his concerns. Looking at the numbers today, my guess is that he has made off like a bandit.


VersaBank Beta-Testing Its New, High Volume Mortgage Finance App   

fsim.ca/docs/VBCortelMortFinanceAppFeb62020.pdf

Press Release

VersaBank announces it is initiating beta-testing on its newly developed high-volume mortgage software app with the Cortel Group, one of Canada’s largest home and condominium builders. The app, named “Direct Connect”, was designed to facilitate and significantly reduce the lengthy finance approval process typically experienced by home buyers when visiting home and condo pre-construction sales offices.


How and why you need to defend your brand against disruptors  

Mark Sibthorpe

Technology, and being open to opportunities, has preempted transformation in banking. At the top of change are Mint, PayPal and ApplePay; three examples of transformative solutions that are now ubiquitous. On the horizon: Uber and Google, both having recently announced partner based banking services. Further down in the plumbing is Duca Impact Labs, Versabank, and Revolut. This report shows how cost conscious FIs can, not only stay relevant in the face of adversity, but punch well above their weight. All thanks to creative thinking and the ongoing commoditization of technology.


Kick the can(nomics)  

fsim.ca/docs/Kick.pdf

Mark Sibthorpe

Canada has used consumer debt to provide life support to the economy. This strategy which basically pushed the day of reckoning to the next government was old back in 2014, and now is well past its sell-by-date. Recognizing this, and desperate to keep the economy out of a recession, Trudeau is spending more money now than any government in Canadian history. This report disusses a possible alternative.


ScoreCard Bill Morneau, Canada's Minister of Finance  

fsim.ca/docs/ScoreCardMorneau.pdf

Mark Sibthorpe

This report is a scorecard I designed in order to rank the performance of the current Minister of Finance, Bill Morneau. I do regular rankings because, otherwise, I cannot measure the performance in a meaningful way. The scoring is based on a variety of metrics as detailed on the ‘score-table’ on page 3. Examples of the criteria and weighting include:

 


Observations and overview of 2018 NB flood support from government and insurance companies.  

fsim.ca/docs/Observations and overview of 2018 NB flood support from government and insurance companies..pdf

Mark Sibthorpe

 


Flood aftermath is linked to post traumatic stress. Here are some findings from a study conducted by Queensland University following a flood:

"The findings showed that aftermath stress contributed to poor mental health outcomes over and above the flood itself, prior mental health issues and demographic factors," Ms Dixon said.

 

"Aftermath stress was the strongest predictor of post-traumatic stress symptoms with 75 per cent of people saying the most difficult aspect was the aftermath and dealing with insurance companies," she said.

 

With this in mind, I felt it was important to understand how New Brunswick flood victims were treated.

 


Update Argentina: a sign of the times  

fsim.ca/docs/Update Argentina_ a sign of the times.pdf

Mark Sibthorpe

Argentina is in the news daily because the situation is dire, and may be an indication of further contagion. The most dramatic story that speaks of the a leading cause of its troubles was the recent arrest of the public works secretary, Jose Lopez. June 15th he was caught hiding millions in cash in a monastery. No this is not a plot for a comedy.


Summary of Canada's flood news, 2017 to present  

fsim.ca/docs/Summary-of-flood-news-2017-present.pdf

Mark Sibthorpe

This report covers flood news in Canada from 2017 to present and highlights the relevent issues for home-owners and the insurance industry.


Banking on Pot  

fsim.ca/docs/c10191_banking-on-pot.pdf

SBS

As states across the US legalize marijuana for both medicinal and recreational purposes, it has fueled a growing industry of marijuana related businesses (MRBs).


Canadian banking industry overview  

Mark Sibthorpe

The industry overview is divided into 5 parts:

Introduction
Small banks
Small medium sized banks
Medium sized banks
Medium large banks


2014 Mobile payments the Apple pay way  

fsim.ca/docs/Mobile_Payments_Apple_Pay_2014.pdf

Mark Sibthorpe

With Walmart Pay about to userp Apple Pay, I thought I would share my 2014 book on mobile payments and loyalty. The guilde was written for Merchants that want to understand loyalty, credit, mobile payments and Apple Pay, but anyone involved with credit and loyalty might find it useful.
The book is a prelude to Walmart leaving MCX, and chronicles the evolution that led to Walmart Pay. There is an extensive case study of Walmart that looks into its efforts to become an ILC and to avoid paying credit card transaction fees ('merchant discount').
It offers readers a step-by-step methodology for evaluating and transforming credit and loyalty programs. The strategies are based on proven examples and industry facts. The Nectar, Target, Canadian Tire and Walmart case studies are examples of the practical approach I have taken, written with the intent that merchants can use them as blueprints for their own initiatives. 


Death to bitcoin, long live the blockchain   (See full report)

Mark Sibthorpe

Jamie Dimon calls bitcoin a fraud used by criminals, yet he has jumped into the blockchain with both feet.


TD bank industry conduct  

fsim.ca/docs/tdind2.pdf

Mark Sibthorpe

TD’s share price recently collapsed by $7 bn in one day due to CBC’s allegations of aggressive selling tactics. A huge fall from a bank that was trading at a premium as recently as January. This was even before the most recent allegation of TD attempting to avoid paying taxes on advertising.
This report chronicles the events leading up to the collapse, shows TD's performance, analyses other related issues.


Book review: Back from the Brink  

fsim.ca/docs/backbrink.pdf

Mark Sibthorpe

This is a book review of the book Back from the Brink by Paul Halpern, Caroline Cakebread, Christopher C. Nicholls and Poonam Puri.


Footnote 151  

fsim.ca/docs/footnote151.pdf

Mark Sibthorpe

Footnote 151 implies an important regulatory change related to derivative contracts. It means that US Banks will not be required to hold as much capital against commodities. If you want to understand the implications of this regulatory change in more detail, see the enclosed related article detailing the changes. For contextual purposes, I have also included two Rolling Stones Magazines reports from 2010 and 2014 that chronicle the role large US banks have played in manipulating commodities. You might question the credibility of these sources, but rest assured, these reports are based on United States Senate hearings which outline the issues in a 396 page report related to the implied risks. 


Save the Canadian economy now  

fsim.ca/docs/helecopter-money.pdf

Mark Sibthorpe

Consumer debt spending appears to have insulated Canada from the worst of the credit crisis, but now the alarming magnitude of consumer debt ($1.92-trillion) could exacerbate a day of reckoning.
This report assesses the issues at hand and recommends the solution to get Canada's economy on track.


Reasons financial service companies should consider gamification  

fsim.ca/docs/GamingEventProposal-printsample--en-final.pdf

Mark Sibthorpe

Gamification of business processes resulted on Mint.com growing to 10 million users within 4 years. This report explains how.


National Bank Special Report  

fsim.ca/docs/NatBSpec.pdf

Mark Sibthorpe

According to Bloomberg, National Bank of Canada will take a C$64 million ($48 million) restructuring charge in the fourth quarter and said its investment in Maple Financial Group Inc., which is being probed by German regulators, may be at risk of a “substantial loss.”


Will Canadian banks charge companies for deposits?  

fsim.ca/docs/depgrowthimpact2.pdf

Mark Sibthorpe

In light of today’s possible rate cut, this report discusses how a bank rate cut and capital ratio pressure could precipitate negative corporate deposit interest rates in Canada.


Canadian Tire's (CTC) - Canadian Tire Financial Services (CTFS) Scotia deal overview and risk assess  

fsim.ca/docs/ctfsfinal.pdf

Mark Sibthorpe

Review of the Canadian Tire Financial Services deal with Scotiabank, risks, opportunity and benefits.


Finance minisiter scorecard August 26, 2015  

fsim.ca/docs/Scorejo-August-2015.pdf

Mark Sibthorpe

This report looks at Joe Oliver, minister of finance’s progress to date, and assigns a grade to his government’s performance to date.


Xtreme Branch  

fsim.ca/docs/xbranch.pdf

Mark Sibthorpe

Branches are evolving to meet the digital age. This documents tracks the evolution with real-world examples.


Canadian Nudge  

fsim.ca/docs/nudge.pdf

Mark Sibthorpe

Whether he knew it or not, Tom Reid, a senior vice-president at Sun Life, made a case for the behavior modification concept ‘Nudging’ when he recently proposed auto-enrolling Canadians in his company’s pension plans. Sun life cover 1.2 million Canadians, about 60% of the eligible employees.
According to Reid,


CWB cause for concern  

fsim.ca/docs/cwbupdate.pdf

Mark Sibthorpe

In an earlier report BankNews.TV expressed concerns about CWB. Here are 5 charts that show cause:
1. First earnings drop in years;
2. Deposits dropping which will increase cost of funds in the future.


BNTV Overview  

fsim.ca/docs/overviewpdf.pdf

BNTV

BankNews.TV Publishing Corp services overview document:

  • Analytics
  • Financial services industry monitor (FSIM) industry briefings and developments reports
  • Research


Challenger banks not a threat to big banks  

fsim.ca/docs/challenger.pdf

Mark Sibthorpe

This report looks at Canadian challenger banks (apart from merchant led banks) and explains why they have not threatened larger institutions. It also looks at ways in which these upstarts have achieved success.


Gamification of financial data project  

fsim.ca/docs/GamingEventProposal-printsample--en-final_original.pdf

Mark Sibthorpe

This document contains details on how BankNews.TV is helping kids learn programming via gamification of financial data.


The impact a rate rise will have for Canadian banks  

fsim.ca/docs/irr-f.pdf

Mark Sibthorpe

Canadian banks have made money throughout the credit crisis, but this trend may be about to reverse. The rational supporting this prediction is that revenue has grown despite a declining net interest margin (NIM). It has grown in spite of this fact because Canadian debt (loan lease volume) has risen significantly, as shown in chart 2.

This report looks at the issues facing Canadian banks in the event of a Bank Rate rise.  


FIFA: the new goldenballs  

fsim.ca/docs/goldenballs.pdf

Mark Sibthorpe

Yesterday, the Attorney General of Switzerland (OAG) opened criminal proceedings related to the FIFA scandal. This report outlines some of the events related to the criminal investigation, with a particular focus on banking.


Scorecard Minister of Finance: JIm Flaherty  

fsim.ca/docs/Scorecard Min Fin Flaherty April 8 2014.pdf

Mark Sibthorpe

March 18, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty resigned from cabinet after having endured a difficult year due to health issues. This report looks at his legacy and attempts to grade his government’s performance to date.


Sample RFP for a Loyalty Program  

fsim.ca/docs/sample RFP for a loyalty program.pdf

Mark Sibthorpe


Merchants extend financial services  

fsim.ca/docs/merchantfs.pdf

Mark Sibthorpe

Merchant led financial services are growing in importance once again. This is exemplified in the ongoing UK rivalry between ASDA, Sainsbury and Tesco. Together these merchant/financial service companies provide the backstop for three different approaches for merchants looking to extend their financial services.


Hot Money: real-estate  

fsim.ca/docs/hotmoney.pdf

Mark Sibthorpe

Canadian and London real estate, like Macau, may also be a convenient means for China’s elite to move money offshore; with the deleterious effect of driving up home values. Louise Shelley`s research concurs. In a published paper written for the National Defense University, Shelley argues that money laundering in real estate (MLRE) increases prices.


Currency Cheat Sheet: a guide for the rest of us  

fsim.ca/docs/currencycheatsheet.pdf

Mark Sibthorpe

Readers of this document will be presented with monetary policy issues and facts
that show the USD will likely remain the dominant reserve currency, despite
questionable Chinese practices, record US debt levels, and a shaky economy.


Riches to Rags? Summary of possible risks for Genworth MI CANADA, INC.  

fsim.ca/docs/gq4risk.pdf

Mark Sibthorpe

Genworth had its Q4 2014 earnings call. Genworth own about 30% of the mortgage default insurance in Canada. Not surprisingly, the earnings call became focussed on Alberta; and for good reason, with 20% of its outstanding insured mortgage balance in Alberta, sensitivity to the oil shock and how Genworth plan to manage related risks were discussed in detail.


Canadian Western Bank Competitive Forecast  

fsim.ca/docs/cwbf.pdf

Mark Sibthorpe

Based on historical financial data (see detailed charts pages 5-8), the oil based recession in Alberta, and comparison against two of its peers, this document outlines my observation with respect to CWB’s future performances.


Liquid Canada: the tipping point  

fsim.ca/docs/Liquid.pdf

Mark Sibthorpe

This report examines liquidity issues in the Canadian financial service industry.


Bank Fees  

fsim.ca/docs/Bank fees.pdf

Mark Sibthorpe

Recently the CBC and The Globe and Mail both reported on what has been referred to as a consumer “bank fee outcry”. CBC compares banks to cable and phone companies, standing accused of trying to gouge customers with service fees. The backlash appears to have originated in conjunction with the NDP and the Consumers Council of Canada which argues that there is anxiety ‘among consumers about banking fees’.


Cheap Oil Report  

fsim.ca/docs/co2.pdf

Cheap oil has pushed the Bank of Canada's governor, Stephen Poloz onto a slippery slope. For some background on this, take October 22nd, when Poloz bid farewell to forward guidance, resulting in yesterday's surprise rate cut. A cut that has enraged TD and other banks, which see this as eroding profits.
 


Canada's Economy, a strategic solution  

fsim.ca/docs/ces.pdf

This report explores Canada's strategies to compete globally. The report begins with an analyses of the housing market, because housing is the canary in the coal mine; explores what happens in the event of collapse; and analyses the underlying problem causing Canada to be uncompetitive.
 


Mobile Payments Blueprint: guide to credit and loyalty transformation for merchants  

fsim.ca/docs/booksample.pdf

Merchants that want to understand loyalty, credit and mobile payments should read this book. It offers readers a step-by-step methodology for evaluating and transforming credit and loyalty programs. The strategies are based on proven examples and facts. The Nectar, Target, Canadian Tire and Walmart case studies are examples of the practical approach I have taken, written with the intent that merchants can use them as blueprints for their own initiatives.
 


Guide to system selection  

fsim.ca/docs/gssnow.pdf

Read sample report: Guide to system selection. This sample would normally cost $99 but is available free as a sample. Click here view sample report.


News feed

SCOTIABANK SAYS TECHNICAL GLITCH THAT DISRUPTED DIRECT DEPOSIT, CHEQUE PAYMENTS HAS BEEN RESOLVED

G&M (2026-01-28)

“We are deeply sorry for the inconvenience the earlier technical issue has had on our clients, and sincerely appreciate their patience as we worked through this,” Ms.


DEVELOPER FEES COULD ADD MORE THAN $100,000 TO PRICE OF NEW HOMES, CMHC FINDS

G&M - SALMAAN FAROOQUI (2025-12-05)

Charges that municipalities impose on homebuilders are worsening Canada’s housing affordability, and could be costing some homeowners more than $100,000 for new units located in cities with the highest fees, according to new data from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. It’s


WHOEVER CONTROLS DIGITAL WALLETS WILL CONTROL THE FUTURE

FT - Danielle Zanzalari (2025-12-04)

While lawmakers debate how to regulate cryptocurrencies, a far more consequential battle is unfolding over who controls your digital wallet and, with it, your identity.  A


RBC, NATIONAL BANK AND SCOTIABANK: A BREAKDOWN OF THE BIG BANKS’ YEAR-END EARNINGS SO FAR

G&M (2025-12-04)

Canada’s biggest banks are reporting their earnings for the fiscal year-end, covering the three months that ended Oct.


RBC, NATIONAL BANK AND SCOTIABANK: A BREAKDOWN OF THE BIG BANKS’ YEAR-END EARNINGS SO FAR

G&M (2025-12-04)

Canada’s biggest banks are reporting their earnings for the fiscal year-end, covering the three months that ended Oct.


CIBC, TD AND BMO BEAT ANALYSTS’ PROFIT ESTIMATES AS BANKS BENEFIT FROM TUMULTUOUS MARKETS

G&M (2025-12-04)

Three of Canada’s biggest banks have beaten analysts’ profit expectations, topping off a year when markets shrugged off economic concerns over trade disputes while deal activity surged on renewed interest in key resource sectors.


EQB SHARES LEAP ON PC FINANCIAL DEAL; CEO SAYS MOVE GIVES BANK 'COMPLETE' PRODUCT LINEUP

Yahoo Finance (2025-12-04)

“Now we'll have that ability to have millions of Canadians every week see our brand and then become more familiar with our complementary products.”


BIG SIX BANKS REPORT $16.45B PROFIT IN FOURTH QUARTER AS CAPITAL MARKETS BOOM

BNN (2025-12-04)

“We benefited from a constructive backdrop, especially in capital markets,” said Kelvin Tran, chief financial officer at TD Bank Group, on an earnings call Thursday.


CIBC PROFITS RISE ON BROAD GAINS INCLUDING FROM INCREASED U.S. EXPOSURE

BNN (2025-12-04)

“Our strategy remains consistent.


BMO REPORTS $2.3 BILLION PROFIT, RAISES DIVIDEND AS U.S. BUSINESS IMPROVES

BNN (2025-12-04)

“While it takes time to work through impaired files, we have seen a steady decline in new watchlist formations and expect that this will lead to lower impaired balances over time.”


TD BANK RAISES DIVIDEND DESPITE Q4 PROFIT DROP TO $3.28B

BNN (2025-12-04)

“TD had a strong fourth quarter, delivering robust fee and trading income in our markets-driven businesses as well as volume growth year-over-year in Canadian personal and commercial banking, capping a year of strong performance,” TD chief executive Raymond Chun said in a statement.


BANKER BONUS POOLS RISE 15% AT CANADA’S BIG LENDERS IN BUSY YEAR

Bloomberg - Christine Dobby (2025-12-04)

Canada’s biggest lenders set aside 15% more for banker bonus pools in fiscal 2025, a year when the firms’ capital-markets divisions were more active on deals and US President Donald Trump’s policy swings kept trading desks busy. Bank


CANADA CUTS HOUSING BUDGET 56% DESPITE CRISIS, DEFUNDS CMHC: PBO

Better Dwelling (2025-12-04)

“Federal planned spending on housing programs is set to decline 56 per cent, from $9.8


WINNERS AND LOSERS IN A FANNIE, FREDDIE IPO

WSJ (2025-12-04)

For months, the biggest banks have been vying for roles on a potential transaction by pitching solutions to its uniquely thorny issues.



RBC HIKES PROFITABILITY TARGET AFTER POSTING 29% JUMP IN FOURTH-QUARTER EARNING

G&M (2025-12-03)

Royal Bank of Canada RY-T posted a surge in fourth-quarter earnings on a boost in capital markets and wealth management activity as the lender raised its profitability target. Profit


NATIONAL BANK RECORDS HIGHER PROFIT, RAISES DIVIDEND AFTER BOOKING CWB-RELATED COSTS

G&M (2025-12-03)

National Bank of Canada NA-T reported a jump in fourth-quarter profit that topped analysts’ estimates on a spike in capital markets and wealth management earnings, even as the lender booked costs related its acquisition of Canadian Western Bank. National


FIRST NATIONS BANK SELLS ALMOST 10% STAKE TO WABIGOON LAKE OJIBWAY NATION

G&M (2025-12-03)

First Nations Bank of Canada is raising $12.8-million


WITH MONTHLY PAYMENTS OVER $1,000, AUTO LOANS ARE INCREASINGLY LIKE CAR MORTGAGES

G&M (2025-12-03)

Canadians are used to hearing about pricey housing.


WHAT 6.3% MORTGAGE RATES WILL MEAN FOR HOME AFFORDABILITY IN 2026

Yahoo Finance (2025-12-03)

While home prices continue to keep prospective buyers out of the housing market, this economist believes that mortgage rates will rise above 6% in 2026.


CANADA FALLING SHORT OF HOUSING GOAL, WITH 56% CUT IN FUNDING, WARNS GOVERNMENT WATCHDOG

BNN (2025-12-03)

Federal housing spending is set for a steep decline over the next three years unless Ottawa renews its programs, according to a new report by the Parliamentary Budget Office.


TORONTO REAL ESTATE PRICES DOWN 25%, RECORD INVENTORY FLOOD CONTINUES

BNN (2025-12-03)

The price of a typical home fell 0.5%


NOVEMBER AUTO SALES DOWN 8.6% AMID ECONOMIC HEADWINDS: DESROSIERS

Investment Executive (2025-12-03)

DesRosiers says the market is tracking close to its forecast despite the headwinds from trade disputes and economic challenges.


RBC POSTS RECORD Q4 PROFIT BUT CEO RAISES CONCERNS ABOUT UNEVEN ECONOMIC RECOVERY

Investment Executive (2025-12-03)

“The impact of the K-shaped economy is increasingly polarizing, with more affluent consumers investing disposable income and growing markets, while less affluent consumers struggle with affordability.”


CANADA'S LARGEST OFFICE REIT CUTS PAYOUT BY 60%, UNITS RISE ON TSX

Yahoo Finance (2025-12-02)

“With a view to reducing indebtedness and associated interest expense going forward, the trustees of Allied have decided to reduce the monthly distribution to unit-holders in December of 2025 and throughout 2026 by 60 per cent to $0.06


UK’S BIGGEST BANKS SHOW RESILIENCE IN LATEST BOE STRESS TEST

Yahoo Finance (2025-12-02)

The central bank also cut its estimate of how much capital the UK’s banking sector needs for the first time in a decade, and signaled a consultation that could free up extra lending and higher payouts to shareholders.


CRYPTO’S RETAIL TRADERS HIT HARD AS STRATEGY ETFS PLUNGE 80%

Yahoo Finance (2025-12-02)

Retail investors who piled into Michael Saylor’s grand Bitcoin experiment are paying a heavy price.


‘BUY NOW, PAY LATER’ FIRMS PRESSED BY STATES FOR LOAN DETAILS

Yahoo Finance (2025-12-02)

In a statement announcing the letter, Connecticut Attorney General William Tong expressed concern that heavy marketing of such services was luring consumers into costly and onerous arrangements.


BITCOIN ROUT PICKS UP STEAM AS INVESTORS FRET OVER A NEW ‘CRYPTO WINTER’

WSJ (2025-12-02)

SBitcoin tumbled more than 6% on Monday, its biggest one-day drop since March.


COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE IS GETTING TOO CHEAP TO IGNORE

WSJ (2025-12-02)

Poor commercial real estate.


LAURENTIAN BANK TO BE SOLD TO FAIRSTONE, NATIONAL BANK FOR $1.9 BN

G&M - Stefanie Marotta (2025-12-02)

Laurentian Bank of Canada LB-T has struck an agreement to be taken over by Fairstone Bank of Canada in an all-cash deal valued at $1.9-billion,


SCOTIABANK BEATS PROFIT ESTIMATES ON CAPITAL MARKETS, WEALTH MANAGEMENT STRENGTH

G&M - Stefanie Marotta (2025-12-02)

Bank of Nova Scotia BNS-T posted a jump in profit in fourth-quarter results as activity in capital markets surged, heading into a year when the lender expects growth to accelerate as it continues its strategic turnaround plan. Even


WHAT LAURENTIAN BANK CUSTOMERS CAN EXPECT AMID SALE TO NATIONAL BANK

BNN (2025-12-02)

While the length of the transition isn’t known yet, Natasha Macmillan, Ratehub.ca’s


LAURENTIAN BANK ANNOUNCES SPLIT SALE TO FAIRSTONE BANK AND NATIONAL BANK

BNN (2025-12-02)

Under the terms, the more than 175-year-old Laurentian Bank name will live on as part of Fairstone with the head office of the commercial segment to remain in Montreal, and chief executive Éric Provost to continue in his role.


PBO PROJECTS BUILD CANADA HOMES WILL ADD 26,000 HOUSING UNITS, A FRACTION OF THOSE NEEDED, OVER FIVE YEARS

Yahoo Finance (2025-12-02)

Build Canada Homes, a federal agency launched by Prime Minister Mark Carney in September, has a mandate to scale the supply of affordable housing.


GENSLER SAYS BITCOIN REMAINS 'SPECULATIVE, VOLATILE'

Bloomberg (2025-12-02)

Former SEC chair Gary Gensler said that investors should be aware of the risks of investing in a 'speculative, volatile' asset like crypto even as it becomes more accepted in the mainstream and by Trump White House.


CANADIAN REAL ESTATE SPILLOVER: RENTS EXPLODE HIGHER IN CHEAP CITIES

Better Dwelling (2025-12-02)

It’s often said that real estate is local, and that’s true—for most of the real estate cycle.


FINTRAC SANCTIONS CURRENCY EXCHANGE

Investment Executive (2025-12-02)

FINTRAC imposed a $70,537.50


EDWARD JONES SETTLES CLIENT OVERCHARGING CASE

Investment Executive (2025-12-02)

It also clawed back almost $500,000 from 276 financial advisors, representing their share of the overcharged fees, the settlement noted.


JAMIE DIMON SAYS U.S. NEEDS TO ENGAGE WITH CHINA: 'THEY'RE NOT SCARED'

WSJ (2025-12-02)

JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon said during an economic forum that the U.S.


TRUMP'S ESCALATING PRESSURE ON MEXICO HITS ITS FINANCIAL SECTOR

WSJ (2025-12-02)

Mexican authorities are taking over three financial institutions after the U.S.


LOYALTY PROGRAMS—ONCE A PERK—NOW HELP AIRLINES SURVIVE

WSJ (2025-12-02)

American Airlines created the first airline frequent flier program in 1981.


BANK OF ENGLAND WARNS OF AI BUBBLE RISK

BBC (2025-12-02)

The central bank's financial stability report warned valuations are "particularly stretched" for companies focused on AI.


DEVASTATING TOXIC SPILL SEEN AS TEST OF WHETHER AFRICAN COUNTRIES WILL STAND UP TO CHINA

BBC (2025-12-02)

Some environmentalists, however, claim as much as 1.5


GLOBAL FINANCIAL SYSTEM MUST ADAPT TO BETTER SERVE ECONOMY, UN TRADE AGENCY SAYS

Reuters - Catarina Demony (2025-12-02)

The financial system risks undermining global trade if it fails to adapt to the economy's needs, with developing countries likely to suffer the most, the UN Trade and Development Agency said on Tuesday. Shifts


UBS CHARGED IN SWITZERLAND OVER CREDIT SUISSE ‘TUNA BONDS’ SCANDAL

WSJ (2025-12-01)

Switzerland’s attorney general filed criminal charges against UBS UBS -0.31%decrease;



HOW THIS COUPLE BOUGHT A $950,000 MISSISSAUGA HOME AFTER THREE YEARS OF SAVING IN A HALAL WEALTHSIMPLE PORTFOLIO

G&M - ZAHRA KHOZEMA (2025-12-01)

Amina and her husband started saving for a home right after their 2021 wedding, funnelling wedding gift money into what seemed like a distant goal.


BITCOIN FALLS MORE THAN 7% BELOW $85,000 AS INVESTORS DITCH RISK ASSETS

G&M - Amanda Cooper (2025-12-01)

Bitcoin slumped on Monday, with the world’s largest cryptocurrency down more than 7 per cent and on track for its biggest daily percentage fall since March, as equities also declined. Bitcoin


CANADIAN BANK STOCKS SHOW RARE MOMENTUM AHEAD OF EARNINGS, SAYS STRATEGIST

BNN (2025-12-01)

Canadian bank stocks are showing uncommon strength heading into earnings season, climbing to the top of relative strength rankings after an extended period of market resilience.


THE SMART WAY TO BUILD MORE HOMES

BNN (2025-12-01)

After catching you up on the week’s top business stories, Amanda Lang discusses building more homes in Canada in a way that improves our productivity with Aled ab Iowerth, Deputy Chief Economist at CMHC.


TRUMP SAYS HE HAS MADE HIS CHOICE TO LEAD THE FEDERAL RESERVE

Bloomberg (2025-12-01)

President Donald Trump said Sunday he has decided on his pick for the next Federal Reserve chair after making clear he expects his nominee to deliver interest-rate cuts. “I


BITCOIN IS NOW THE BAROMETER FOR THE BUCKWILD U.S. ECONOMY, AND IT LOOKS BAD

G&M - John Rapley (2025-11-30)

John Rapley is a contributing columnist for The Globe and Mail.


CANADA'S ECONOMY BLOWS PAST ESTIMATES FOR Q3 GROWTH, IN 'VERY NOISY REPORT'

Yahoo Finance - John MacFarlane (2025-11-30)

Canada’s economy grew 2.6


THE $124 TRILLION GREAT WEALTH TRANSFER WON’T BE A ‘BIG BANG’ WARNS NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL CEO TIM GEREND

Yahoo Finance - Amanda Gerut (2025-11-30)

Tim Gerend, CEO of financial planning giant Northwestern Mutual which has $366 billion in client assets, warns that the reality will unfold more gradually and with greater complexity than headlines and hopes suggest.


THE CLOSE SILVER PRICE HITS RECORD FOLLOWING COMEX OUTAGE

BNN (2025-11-30)

Brooke Thackray, research analyst at Horizons ETFs, joins BNN Bloomberg to discuss the outlook on the markets as the price of silver hits new record and December rate cut odds near 90%


THE $260 BILLION MOM-AND-POP FUNDS DISTORTING THE CREDIT MARKET

Bloomberg - Tasos Vossos and Abhinav Ramnarayan (2025-11-30)

Popular with individual investors, fixed-maturity funds are hoovering up the debt of big companies, reducing borrowing costs but obscuring repayment risk. A


JAPAN’S TWO-YEAR YIELD HITS HIGHEST SINCE 2008 ON RATE-HIKE BETS

Bloomberg - John Cheng (2025-11-30)

Japan’s two-year note yield rose to its highest level since 2008 and the yen gained against the dollar on growing speculation an interest-rate increase by the Bank of Japan is getting closer. The


PRODUCT ROUNDUP: CIBC, AVANTIS LOOK TO BRING 8 NEW ETFS TO CANADA

Investment Executive - Noushin Ziafati (2025-11-30)

In a release, Greg Gipson, managing director and head of ETFs with CAMI, said his team’s excited to work with Avantis “to help investors further build strong and resilient portfolios tailored to their own unique goals.”


HOUSEHOLD SAVINGS RISE IN Q3

Investment Executive - Jonathan Got (2025-11-30)

Disposable income gains were mainly due to increases in wages and salaries, followed by higher self-employment income and investment income.


BANKS HEAD INTO FOURTH QUARTER PRICED FOR PERFECTION

Investment Executive - Ian Bickis (2025-11-30)

Earnings come as the overall Canadian economy has been shaky.


THE SWISS DON’T HATE THE RICH

WSJ (2025-11-30)

It’s hard to get that kind of majority these days for endorsing the law of gravity.


CRYPTO HOARDING COMPANY SHARES UNDER PRESSURE AS RISK APPETITE WANES

Reuters - Shashwat Chauhan and Hannah Lang (2025-11-30)

Fresh turbulence in the crypto market is weighing on shares of companies that stockpile bitcoin and other tokens on their balance sheets, stoking concerns over stress in the niche but fast-growing sector. Buoyed


DOLLAR BRACES FOR CRUCIAL DECEMBER WITH FED MEETING, POWELL'S SUCCESSOR PICK

Reuters - Rae Wee (2025-11-30)

The dollar began December on the back foot, as investors braced for a pivotal month that could bring the Federal Reserve's final rate cut of the year and the confirmation of a dovish successor to Chair Jerome Powell. In


ARGENTINA'S CENTRAL BANK INTERVENES TO HALT RUN ON PESO

France24 (2025-11-29)

At the alternative rate used for foreign transactions, the peso measured 1,490.50



BNPL: BUY NOW, PAIN LATER? HOW TO AVOID THE STING OF DELAYED PAYMENTS FROM BLACK FRIDAY AND HOLIDAY SHOPPING

Yahoo Finance (2025-11-28)

While BNPL may appear simpler than credit cards, credit cards provide consistent billing, better consumer protection and help build credit when used responsibly.


BANKS HEAD INTO FOURTH QUARTER PRICED FOR PERFECTION

BNN (2025-11-28)

Banks went into last quarter’s earnings results with analysts worried they might not be able to justify lofty valuations, only to have almost all of the banks handily beat earnings expectations.


DIGITAL CURRENCY COULD ENSURE THE CANADIAN DOLLAR REMAINS RELEVANT: LAVALLéE ON CANADIAN STABLECOIN

BNN (2025-11-28)

Didier Lavallée, CEO of Tetra Digital Group, joins BNN Bloomberg to discuss the path forward for Canadian dollar-backed stablecoin.


SWITZERLAND TO REMAIN WORLD’S NO. 1 WEALTH CENTER, EFG CEO SAYS

Bloomberg - Myriam Balezou and Francine Lacqua (2025-11-28)

Switzerland isn’t about to lose its status as the world’s preferred wealth management destination even if other places are seeking to catch up, according to EFG International AG’s Chief Executive Officer Giorgio Pradelli “In our business — wealth management and private banking — Switzerland will remain the No.


THIS IS WHY CREDIT CARD INTEREST RATES ARE SO HIGH

Bloomberg - Joe Weisenthal and Tracy Alloway (2025-11-28)

Credit users are paying for their own marketing. Some


HOW INDIA’S RUPEE ENDED UP AS ASIA’S WORST CURRENCY THIS YEAR

Bloomberg - Malavika Kaur Makol (2025-11-28)

The Indian rupee is currently Asia’s worst-performing currency of 2025.


CANADIANS WOULD PAY 75% MORE INTEREST WITH 40-YEAR MORTGAGES: PBO

Better Dwelling (2025-11-28)

Lower payments are the only goal, and extending amortizations is the most commonly pitched solution.


FINTRAC SANCTIONS SASKATCHEWAN CREDIT UNION

Investment Executive (2025-11-28)

On Thursday, the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC) said it imposed a monetary penalty of $214,500 on Synergy Credit Union, following a compliance review that uncovered several breaches of the anti-money laundering rules.


JPMORGAN IS PLANNING TO BUILD LONDON’S BIGGEST OFFICE BLOCK

WSJ (2025-11-28)

Jamie Dimon, barely done with one mammoth building project on New York’s Park Avenue, is embarking on another this side of the pond. The


CITI’S PREMIUM CARD ROLLOUT WAS MARRED BY ERRANT APPROVALS

WSJ - Imani Moise (2025-11-28)

Citibank’s launch of its Strata Elite credit card this summer marked its return to a sizzling-hot premium market.


AMAZON, FLIPKART TAKE AIM AT INDIA'S BANKS WITH NEW CONSUMER LOAN OFFERINGS

Reuters - Ashwin Manikandan and Jaspreet Kalra (2025-11-28)

Amazon (AMZN.O),


BANKS IN TALKS TO LEND $38 BILLION TO FUND SITES FOR OPENAI, FT REPORTS

Reuters (2025-11-28)

A group of banks is in talks to lend another $38 billion for Oracle (ORCL.N),


CENTRAL BANK BODY BIS WARNS OF HEDGE FUND LEVERAGE IN GOVERNMENT BOND MARKETS

Reuters - Marc Jones (2025-11-28)

The new head of the Bank for International Settlements has said reining in hedge funds' ability to make highly leveraged bets in government bond markets should be a key priority for policymakers given rapidly increasing public debt levels. Pablo


$8 BILLION PRODUCTIVITY CRISIS ERODING HOUSING AFFORDABILITY, CMHC FINDS

CMP (2025-11-27)

The construction industry's struggles reflect systemic inefficiencies.


EMPLOYMENT WEAKNESS NARROWS MORTGAGE CAPACITY FOR YOUNG CANADIANS

CMP (2025-11-27)

More concerning, young Canadians remain the only age group whose income growth has failed to keep pace with inflation.


FINANCIALLY MOTIVATED CHILD SEXUAL EXPLOITATION ON THE RISE, FINTRAC FINDS

G&M - Alexandra Posadzki (2025-11-27)

Canada’s anti-money-laundering watchdog says it has observed an increase in financially motivated cases of child sexual exploitation, including extortion schemes linked to organized crime. The


BANK OF CANADA IN RISK MANAGEMENT MODE WITH STAGFLATION ON THE TABLE, POLOZ SAYS

Yahoo Finance - Jordan Gowling (2025-11-27)

“In that context a central bank should be thinking, ‘I need to cut rates to cushion the blow, but I need to raise rates to prevent inflation from going up much,'” said Poloz, now special adviser to the law firm Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, during a webinar on Wednesday.


BANKS TELL NATURAL RESOURCES MINISTER LOANS FOR SOFTWOOD INDUSTRY ARE IMMINENT, SOURCES SAY

G&M - STEFANIE MAROTTA, BRENT JANG (2025-11-26)

Canada’s banks have told Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson that loans for struggling softwood lumber companies will roll out in the coming weeks, but cautioned that gaps in Ottawa’s support program could leave some out of the running for tariff assistance. Mr.


PAUSE ON MANDATORY CLIMATE DISCLOSURE TO CONTINUE INDEFINITELY, REGULATORS SAY

G&M - Jeffrey Jones (2025-11-26)

Canada’s securities commissions are not ready to restart work on making climate-related disclosures mandatory for public companies, saying the heightened geopolitical and market risks that prompted the halt remain. Many


TORONTO NEW HOME SALES HIT A RECORD LOW FOR A 13TH MONTH

Better Dwelling (2025-11-26)

Developers reported just 570 units sold in October—down 29% from last year and 81% below the 10-year average.


FED ADOPTS RULE CUTTING BIG BANKS’ CAPITAL DEMANDS

Investment Executive - James Langton (2025-11-26)

U.S.


ECB SCRUTINISING CLAIMS DEUTSCHE BANK UNDERPLAYED FINANCIAL RISKS

Reuters (2025-11-26)

The European Central Bank is examining claims that Deutsche Bank (DBKGn.DE),


CENTRAL BANK BODY BIS APPOINTS NEW HEAD OF DIGITAL CURRENCY HUB

Reuters - Marc Jones (2025-11-26)

Bank for International Settlements, the umbrella body for central banks, on Tuesday named a new head of its Innovation Hub that oversees its influential work on digital currencies, artificial intelligence and other up-and-coming technologies. Tommaso


BANK OF CANADA ACT SHOULD BE AMENDED TO ENSURE CENTRAL BANK’S INDEPENDENCE, REPORT SAYS

FP - Jordan Gowling (2025-11-26)

The Bank of Canada Act should be amended to secure the central bank’s independence as part of the government’s five-year review of the institution, according to a report published by the C.D.


SCOTIABANK TO PAY $34,000 AFTER CALLING CLIENT MORE THAN 100 TIMES TO COLLECT DEBT

FP - Stephanie IP (2025-11-26)

Scotiabank will pay over $34,000 after Consumer Protection B.C.


MORE CANADIANS WANT OUT OF CRIPPLING CAR LOANS AMID HIGH FINANCING COSTS: DEBT EXPERTS

Yahoo Finance - Leah Golob (2025-11-26)

“Sometimes, people get into a panic mode that they’re already a few months late, and they just don’t want to deal with it anymore because it’s so stressful,” he said.


THE AI INDUSTRY IS BUILT ON A BIG UNPROVEN ASSUMPTION

Bloomberg (2025-11-26)

In addition to the projections about reaching artificial general intelligence and replacing millions of human workers, there’s the mundane matter of how long AI chips will last. The


CANADIAN HOUSE COSTS OUTPACE LAND, ONLY 2ND TIME IN RECORDED HISTORY

Better Dwelling (2025-11-26)

Another point that stands out: land prices, which inflate with excessive cheap credit, haven’t corrected at all.


CREDIT CARD INSTALLMENTS OUTRUN BNPL IN SUMMER TRAVEL SURGE

Pymnts (2025-11-26)

Spreading out the bill in fixed installments dominated summer spending as consumers actively sought flexible ways to manage their purchases.


MOBILE WALLET USE JUMPS 31% AS APPLE PAY FACES RISING COMPETITION

Pymnts (2025-11-26)

Apple Pay’s share of eligible in-store transactions reached 10.2%.


WHY FEARS OF A TRILLION-DOLLAR AI BUBBLE ARE GROWING

Bloomberg (2025-11-25)

For almost as long as the artificial intelligence boom has been in full swing, there have been warnings of a speculative bubble that could rival the dot-com craze of the late 1990s that ended in a spectacular crash and a wave of bankruptcies. Tech


FRANCE SEES SCOPE TO SCRAP SOME BANK REGULATORY CAPITAL BUFFERS

Bloomberg - Claudia Cohen and Nicholas Comfort (2025-11-25)

France’s top central banker floated the idea of scrapping some capital buffers to help avoid putting European lenders at a disadvantage to US competitors. Authorities


SAN FRANCISCO HOTELS THAT ECHOED CITY’S DECLINE SELL FOR 75% OFF

Bloomberg - Patrick Clark (2025-11-25)

A pair of San Francisco hotels whose travails exemplified a fallen commercial real estate market are changing hands, marking a milestone in the city’s comeback story as it attracts some of the world’s largest investors. Newbond


CANADIAN BANKS SEE RECORD MORTGAGE CONTRACTION AS ARREARS RISE

Better Dwelling (2025-11-25)

The Great Canadian Real Estate Downturn isn’t easing—in fact, it’s accelerating beneath the surface.


ATB FINANCIAL POSTS $130M NET INCOME

Investment Executive (2025-11-25)

ATB Wealth had a net income of $11.7


SCOTIABANK AND DAVIVIENDA RECEIVE REGULATORY APPROVAL FOR DEAL

Investment Executive (2025-11-25)

Scotiabank says it has received all of the required regulatory approvals for its deal to sell its banking operations in Colombia, Costa Rica and Panama to Davivienda.


OSFI OPEN TO 'EXPERIMENTS' TO HELP BANKS FINANCE CANADA'S NATION-BUILDING

Yahoo Finance - Naimul Karim (2025-11-25)

On Nov.


CANADIAN CONSUMER DEBT INCREASES TO $2.6 TRILLION PRIMARILY ON MORTGAGES

BNN - Joshua Santos (2025-11-25)

The agency said mortgage originations (the process of drafting a loan) were up 18 per cent year-over-year as homeowners refinanced their mortgages or renewed earlier amid lower interest rates.


TRUMP CALLS OBAMACARE INSURERS FAT AND RICH. INVESTORS SEE THEM AS VULNERABLE.

WSJ - David Wainer (2025-11-24)

Healthcare politics and investing might as well be living in alternate universes. President


WSJ OPINION: THE FED FINALLY CUTS

WSJ (2025-11-24)

From the award-winning opinion pages of The Wall Street Journal, the Journal Editorial Report sees columnists and members of the Journal Editorial Board debate the major economic, political and cultural issues of the day.


GOLD STEADIES AS MARKET WEIGHS CHANCE OF ANOTHER FED RATE CUT

Yahoo Finance - Yihui Xie (2025-11-24)

The rate-cut path “is rather hard to predict and a close call, hence gold will likely stay clustering around the current level,” said Ahmad Assiri, a strategist at Pepperstone Group Ltd.


HACKERS HIT ‘NECESSARY PLUMBING’ OF BIG BANK MORTGAGE OPERATIONS

Pymnts (2025-11-24)

Sources told NYT that JPMorgan Chase, Citi and Morgan Stanley are among the banks notified by SitusAMC that their client data may have been taken.


SWISS REGULATOR WARNS MORTGAGE RISKS ARE RISING AS BANKS STRETCH LENDING RULES

Reuters (2025-11-24)

Switzerland's financial market regulator warned on Saturday of growing risks in the housing market, saying banks were stretching mortgage lending criteria as property prices continue to climb. "The


THE INSIDE STORY OF FAIRFAX FINANCIAL'S EVEN BIGGER 'BIG SHORT'

Yahoo Finance - David Thomas (2025-11-24)

The astounding combined total windfall from swaps and shorting the stock market was more than US$4.6


CANADIAN HOUSING STARTS (OCTOBER 2025)

TD - Rishi Sondhi (2025-11-24)

Canadian housing starts declined 17% month-on-month (m/m) in October, more than offsetting September's 14% m/m gain.


VERSABANK LAUNCHES ENHANCED CMHC LENDING PROGRAM

VersaBank (2025-11-24)

"The federal government's plan to expand access to cost-effective mortgage funding for lenders to support the construction of new multi-unit housing across the country is a significant and much needed initiative for our country, said David Taylor, Founder and President, VersaBank.


FORMER AIMCO CEO EVAN SIDDALL JOINS BANK OF MONTREAL AS VICE-CHAIR

G&M - Stefanie Marotta (2025-11-24)

Bank of Montreal BMO-T has hired former Alberta Investment Management Corp.


EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE AI BUBBLE

G&M - Joe Castaldo (2025-11-24)

There are a lot of things one could point to as proof that a bubble is percolating around artificial intelligence.


THE BNPL STORY EVERYONE’S GETTING WRONG

Pymnts - Karen Webster (2025-11-24)

Every few months, another doomsday article appears about BNPL services allegedly trapping vulnerable consumers into debt spirals, this article clears the air.


DETAILS ON CANADA'S NEW HOUSING AGENCY ADD CLARITY, EXPOSE 'TROUBLING LIMITATIONS': EXPERT

Yahoo Finance (2025-11-24)

A document outlining the government’s priorities and criteria for the program to address Canada’s housing crisis does offer “one of the clearest income-based affordability definitions in federal housing policy,” wrote Mike Moffatt, founding director of the University of Ottawa’s Missing Middle Initiative (MMI)



TRUMP WANTS TO PLAY GOD WITH CHEAP MONEY. IT’S BACKFIRING SPECTACULARLY

G&M - John Rapley (2025-11-23)

Donald Trump began his second term with a plan to take over the Federal Reserve and bend it to his will, flooding the economy with cheap money and sending it aloft. Step


FORGET A RECESSION. WHAT CANADIANS ARE LIVING THROUGH IS WORSE

G&M - Tim Shufelt (2025-11-23)

Canadians have never been richer and more miserable at the same time. On


DID SCOTIA FORGET WHO SENDS THE BULK OF ITS BUSINESS?

Mortgage Logic (2025-11-23)

For the time being, Scotiabank has shut the door—and double-bolted it—on discretionary broker-channel rate discounts. Brokers


CHINESE EVERGRAND'S CHâTEAU MONTEBELLO FORCED INTO RECEIVERSHIP, TRIGGERING NEW OWNERSHIP MYSTERY

G&M - ANDREW MCINTOSH (2025-11-21)

The iconic Château Montebello has been forced into receivership after its foreign owners racked up $63.9-million


BANKING REGULATOR PROPOSES TO EASE LENDING RULES FOR CANADIAN BANKS

Yahoo Finance (2025-11-21)

The proposed changes announced on Thursday by the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI) in its quarterly release could help Canada adjust to a “rapidly changing environment” and contribute to economic growth, it said.


BITCOIN HEADING FOR WORST MONTH SINCE CRYPTO COLLAPSE OF 2022

Yahoo Finance (2025-11-21)

The rout follows a crippling bout of liquidations on Oct.


IS CANADA IN A 'VICIOUS CIRCLE' OF LOW PRODUCTIVITY? BOC SAYS SO

BNN (2025-11-21)

Eric Lascelles, chief economist at RBC Global Asset Management, joins BNN Bloomberg to discuss the latest remarks from the Bank of Canada on productivity and what the country's economy needs to get out of this circle.


WALMART REVENUE UP 6% YEAR-OVER-YEAR

BNN (2025-11-21)

Zhihan Ma, senior analyst at Bernstein, and Jacob Aiken-Philllips, vice president of consumer and retail research at Melius Research, join BNN Bloomberg to discuss Walmart's latest earnings results, showing an increase in revenue as the retailer warns of higher costs and sees an increase in online sales.


CHINESE MAKER BEHIND MOST OF WORLD’S BITCOIN MINERS HAS BEEN FOCUS OF US NATIONAL SECURITY PROBE

Bloomberg (2025-11-21)

Investigators have sought to assess whether Bitmain Technologies’ products pose risks of espionage or sabotage, according to people familiar with the matter.


CANADIANS TAP HELOC DEBT AT THE FASTEST RATE SINCE 2012

Better Dwelling (2025-11-21)

Bank of Canada (BoC) data shows Home Equity Lines of Credit (HELOC) borrowing just saw the biggest September growth since 2009.


FED’S OCTOBER RATE DECISION FUELED PUSHBACK OVER POSSIBLE DECEMBER CUT

WSJ - Nick Timiraos (2025-11-21)

Divisions over whether the Federal Reserve should cut interest rates next month deepened at officials’ October meeting, leaving a growing contingent—and potentially a narrow majority—of policymakers uncomfortable with a December rate reduction. “Participants


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SCOTIABANK SAYS TECHNICAL GLITCH THAT DISRUPTED DIRECT DEPOSIT, CHEQUE PAYMENTS HAS BEEN RESOLVED

G&M (2026-01-28)

“We are deeply sorry for the inconvenience the earlier technical issue has had on our clients, and sincerely appreciate their patience as we worked through this,” Ms.


DEVELOPER FEES COULD ADD MORE THAN $100,000 TO PRICE OF NEW HOMES, CMHC FINDS

G&M - SALMAAN FAROOQUI (2025-12-05)

Charges that municipalities impose on homebuilders are worsening Canada’s housing affordability, and could be costing some homeowners more than $100,000 for new units located in cities with the highest fees, according to new data from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. It’s


WHOEVER CONTROLS DIGITAL WALLETS WILL CONTROL THE FUTURE

FT - Danielle Zanzalari (2025-12-04)

While lawmakers debate how to regulate cryptocurrencies, a far more consequential battle is unfolding over who controls your digital wallet and, with it, your identity.  A


RBC, NATIONAL BANK AND SCOTIABANK: A BREAKDOWN OF THE BIG BANKS’ YEAR-END EARNINGS SO FAR

G&M (2025-12-04)

Canada’s biggest banks are reporting their earnings for the fiscal year-end, covering the three months that ended Oct.


FSIM briefings and developments reports



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DEVELOPER FEES COULD ADD MORE THAN $100,000 TO PRICE OF NEW HOMES, CMHC FINDS

Charges that municipalities impose on homebuilders are worsening Canada’s housing affordability, and could be costing some homeowners more than $100,000 for new units located in cities with the highest fees, according to new data from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. It’s the first time the national housing agency has measured and identified the average cost of development charges in 30 municipalities in Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta and Quebec. The report found the charges that cities impose vary widely across the country. The most expensive fees were in Toronto, where the average condo faces $130,200 in costs, while for the average detached home, municipal development charges account for about $180,600 of the cost. The fees make up 9 per cent of the total cost of a detached home in Toronto. Montreal was among the cheapest cities, with homebuilder charges of $8,584 and $30,597, for condos and detached houses respectively. While development costs are publicly listed by municipalities, the variance in how they’re charged and what they’re used for makes it extremely difficult for the average person to actually compare the costs they’d face between two cities, said Mathieu Laberge, chief economist and senior vice-president of housing insights at CMHC. The Crown corporation initially set out to compare 55 municipalities, but it found some cities such as Vancouver had such complicated fee structures that they simply had to be scrapped from the list – even with a team of 50 researchers working on the project. “The data was so messy it was unusable for us,” said Mr. Laberge, speaking about Vancouver’s development fee system specifically. Coquitlam, B.C., was the most expensive listed city in that province, with development fees averaging at $62,104 for a single condo. Fees also varied as a percentage of the final cost of a home. For example, the average development charge on an condo in Ottawa (outside the Greenbelt) was $39,620, or 8.2 per cent of the total cost of the unit. In Markham, the figure was more than three times higher at $121,500, and it accounted for 15.7 per cent of the cost of a unit. The report highlights how these differences result in much higher upfront costs for developers in some cities. Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Liberals had promised to cut development charges in half during the federal election campaign. But critics say the government’s 2025 budget retreated from that pledge, saying that it will try to reduce charges “substantially” by allocating $1.2-billion a year to the issue. Last month, Canadian Home Builders’ Association chief executive Kevin Lee said that development charges have risen by 700 per cent in the last two decades and contribute heavily to a lack of housing affordability. On the sidelines of the housing market, more young Canadians are renting for longer Mr. Laberge stressed the need for some sort of standardization for development charges. He said that an overreliance on development charges for city finances puts an outsized burden on new buyers. He said development charges were traditionally used for very specific projects or measures, but cities are now relying on them for more general, continuing costs such as wastewater, daycares, parks and schools. “There’s a common wisdom in the municipal world right now that growth pays for growth, but I think it’s inequitable and it’s building up a deficit and giving it to the next generation,” Mr. Laberge said.


WHOEVER CONTROLS DIGITAL WALLETS WILL CONTROL THE FUTURE

While lawmakers debate how to regulate cryptocurrencies, a far more consequential battle is unfolding over who controls your digital wallet and, with it, your identity.  A digital wallet isn’t just a place to hold crypto tokens. It’s any software that verifies identity and links you to financial, social and even government systems. It may seem like Apple or Meta already manage our digital lives, but their power is still limited. The influence of Apple’s digital wallet, say, is real, but it’s checked by competition from banks, payment networks and rival platforms.  Crypto wallets work differently. They are digital wallets, but they eliminate intermediaries entirely, linking users directly to blockchain-based platforms and decentralised apps rather than traditional websites. That gives their designers outsized influence over who participates in the digital economy. They might sound niche today, but it’s where the digital economy is heading as crypto use increases and central banks develop digital currencies. Crypto wallets can merge financial, personal and even civic information into a single system. The same technology that verifies your driving licence or health record could also determine whether a payment clears or what data you must share to use a service. This level of integration gives whoever builds the wallet enormous power to set the terms of everyday life. Some blockchain firms, like Ripple, use a hybrid digital wallet model that connects blockchain networks to traditional payment systems so users can transact across both without fully relying on either. Done right, this can make payments faster and more interoperable, while still limiting any single entity’s power over users. From an economist’s perspective, market power is a central concern. If crypto wallets become the new entry points to the economy and a single system dominates, it will become nearly impossible to opt out. This pattern isn’t hypothetical; it has happened before. Dominance over social media and mobile operating systems shows how platforms can put their own priorities ahead of users. That’s why today’s policy debate around crypto is missing the point. Lawmakers are still arguing over how to label tokens while ignoring the question of who controls the infrastructure that allows people to trade, transact and identify themselves. We need to decide who will design and govern crypto wallets. Other countries are already answering this question in very different ways. China’s national wallet, launched in 2020, in which payments can be made via the digital renminbi, can be accessed by state security agencies, meaning it can be used to increase surveillance and political control. Europe’s new digital identity framework plan takes a different approach: citizens will have a government-backed wallet with interoperability standards. Europe’s non-crypto wallet avoids China’s surveillance model, although its system still concentrates authority with the government, rather than giving users control. The challenge is ensuring such partnerships don’t allow governments or corporations to dictate access or control user data. The US should lead this debate by shaping digital identity through competition and values of individual freedom. Lawmakers should set open, transparent standards for privacy and interoperability while allowing private companies to compete on innovation and design. The government’s role is to protect competition and rights, not to control the technology itself.  The real test for Washington is not how it regulates crypto, but whether its oversight of the infrastructure of digital payments will allow Americans to keep control of their freedom online.


WINNERS AND LOSERS IN A FANNIE, FREDDIE IPO

For months, the biggest banks have been vying for roles on a potential transaction by pitching solutions to its uniquely thorny issues. Bankers and investors expect the Trump administration to begin sharing details of its plans by the end of the year.



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All amounts in millions of dollars