According to the US Department of Labor (www.dol.gov) 4.4 million Americans accounting for 3% of all employees in America quit their jobs in September 2021. This quitting trend marked the second month in a row that saw record numbers of Americans leaving their jobs. The Numbers The 4.4 million workers who quit in September comes…
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Dark Stores
Direct-to-Consumer Everyone watched direct-to-consumer businesses cash in during the pandemic. No longer limited to local food delivery, the new direct-to-consumer market has caught fire with corporate biggies such as Home Depot (www.homedepot.com) and Walmart (www.walmart.com) that are now playing big in this market. Instant Gratification During the pandemic apps including Door Dash (www.doordash.com) and Grubhub…
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Avoid Supply Chain Issues This Christmas
As supply chain woes drag on into the Christmas season, there are many ways you can give those on your Christmas list great presents without worrying that the items you want to buy are in stock. Below are some ideas on how you can avoid supply chain issues this Christmas. Buy Services from Local Businesses…
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Wall Street’s Profitability Amid the Pandemic
During the first half of 2021, Wall Street investment banks recorded a growth in profits. This profitability could be attributed to the enduring low-interest rates that fuelled business and investment activity. But experts warn there are some dark clouds on the horizon that should not be ignored. Interest Rates There’s little debate among analysts about…
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What is a Financial Contagion?
The term financial contagion refers to the spread of disrupted markets, that carries from one jurisdiction to another, with mostly deleterious effects. These disrupted markets are observed through co-motion in exchange rates, capital flows, and stock prices. Financial contagions are a potential risk for countries that are looking to integrate their financial systems with international…
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What is Inflation?
Decreased Purchasing Power Inflation refers to the increase of prices over time. When inflation runs out of control it can have significant negative impacts on a country’s ability to provide services to its citizens. For families, inflation affects purchasing power for everyday items such as groceries and clothing. In essence, inflation decreases purchasing power for…
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China’s Three Red Lines
Chinese regulators developed its Three Red Lines policy to try and curb out-of-control borrowing by Chinese land developers. Recently, Chinese property developers have been making headlines for missing loan payments which are now starting to negatively impact the Chinese economy. The Three Red Lines Breakdown The Three Red Lines regulations propose a range of…
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Vancouver Small Business & the Supply Chain
Large Corporations & the Supply Chain What do Costco, IKEA and the Home Depot have in common? Answer – these companies are so wealthy that they can afford to charter their own cargo ships and jets to keep their store shelves stocked with the items their customers want. Vancouver’s Small Business Owners Importing Goods Small…
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Fantasia Homebuilder in Default
Fantasia Holdings Group Company Another large China-based homebuilder Fantasia Holdings Group Company has been downgraded by Fitch. Fitch downgraded Fantasia from CCC- from B. This downgraded rating is a result of missed credit payment of $206 million USD. Last week China’s second-largest Evergrande property developer was in the media for having missed two credit payments…