Advertisem*nt
Spend
By Danielle KubesandJustin Dallaire on July 18, 2024
Estimated reading time: 7 minutes
By Danielle KubesandJustin Dallaire on July 18, 2024
Estimated reading time: 7 minutes
The Consumer Price Index shows inflation ticked back up in May. How should inflation influence your choice of stocks, bonds, GICs and other investments?
Advertisem*nt
Photo by Ono Kosuki from Pexels
Canada’s annual rate of inflation, as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI), fell to 2.7% in June, down from 2.9% in May. The drop was largely attributed to slower year-over-year growth in gasoline prices.
Advertisem*nt
Advertisem*nt
The Bank of Canada (BoC) closely monitors the rate of inflation in Canada and aims to keep it within a target range (more on this below).
Following May’s higher-than-expected inflation reading, the latest data is welcome news for Canadians who hope the BoC will cut its benchmark interest rate at its next rate decision on July 24. In June, the central bank dropped its key interest rate for the first time in four years, from 5% to 4.75%.
Read more about inflation
- The CPI gets a makeover
- How the Bank of Canada’s benchmark rate impacts your finances
- BoC considered waiting until July to cut interest rates, summary says
- Grocery inflation in Canada: New report for spring 2024
What does inflation mean?
Inflation is the rising cost of goods and services, which leads to a decrease in the purchasing power of money.
Say you have $10. Last year, a can of tomato sauce cost $5, so you could afford two cans. But the cost per can has risen to $6.50, which means now you can only afford one. Over time, you’ll be able to purchase fewer and fewer things with the same $10 of income. When your income growth does not rise in sync with inflation, your purchasing power erodes and your standard of living decreases.
More about inflation in the MoneySense GlossaryRead now
What is a good rate of inflation?
Some people think we should aim for 0% inflation. However, most economists, the BoC and other central banks see some inflation as desirable and reflective of a healthy economy. The BoC manipulates the Canadian money supply, as well as interest rates, to maintain a target rate of 2% inflation—the midpoint of its inflation-control target range of 1% to 3%.
Inflation lower than 2% suggests there is an excess of supply, which means the economy is struggling; this leads to less production and fewer jobs.
Inflation higher than 2% signals that the economy is growing too quickly. Typically, this means Canadians are earning too much income—between their jobs, government benefits and other sources—and snapping up goods so fast that there are supply shortages, and therefore rising prices.
Why was inflation so high in Canada in 2023?
One of the reasons inflation is so high in Canada is that the federal government and the BoC worked together during the pandemic to increase the amount of money in circulation.The federal government spent north of $500 billion on pandemic-related benefits in 2020 and 2021, largely financed with bonds the BoC purchased. Canadians’ savings rate skyrocketed, and the median after-tax income increased 7% from 2019 to 2020, largely thanks to these programs.
Worried about deflation because of how many Canadians were losing their jobs due to lockdowns, the BoC decreased the key interest rate to a historic low of 0.25% to encourage investing and spending.At the same time, global events, such as the war in Ukraine and China’s COVID-zero policies, created supply shortages for commodities like grain and oil and reduced global production.
Advertisem*nt
Advertisem*nt
Excess money in the economy plus fewer goods equals rising prices.
How has the Bank of Canada responded to inflation?
Between March 2022 and July 2023, the BoC raised its key lending rate from 0.25% to 5%, with the goal of slowing price growth and reaching its 2% inflation target. With the rate of inflation slowing through much of 2024, the BoC lowered its benchmark rate from 5% to 4.75% in June. Many economists expect to see more rate cuts at some point in 2024.
How does inflation affect my investments?
Inflation erodes the profit you make on an investment.
Let’s say you purchase a stock that rises 5% in one year. Your “nominal” rate of return before factoring in any fees, taxes or inflation is 5%. But if inflation rises 2% that same year, your “real” rate of return is only 3%. It’s important to calculate your investment profit using a real rate of return so you can properly evaluate where to put your money.(Find out how inflation might affect your retirement investments.)
As a rule, it’s difficult to make a profit with any investment during times of high inflation—your purchasing power decreases faster than most investments can grow. But some investments are more resilient against inflation than others.
Stocks
Inflation can negatively affect the stock market, because rising costs and interest rates usually affect companies’ bottom lines. Investors are also psychologically hesitant to put money in the markets if they feel it’s too risky, which further contributes to market drops. But this scenario can also provide an opportunity to buy high-quality, large-cap companies at a slight discount.
Bonds
When inflation rises, bond prices fall, and vice versa. That’s why long-term bonds can be a tricky bet. A short-term bond, however, such as a one-year bond, can be a good place to park money during high inflation, until it’s clearer where inflation and interest rates are going.
GICs
Guaranteed investment certificates (GICs) may appear to be a good deal during times of high inflation and high interest rates. As of late June 2024, you can still find GICs with rates around 5%, higher than the 1% or so offered a few years ago. That may sound great, but when inflation is running even higher—for example, the 5% to 8% we saw in 2022—you could have a negative real rate of return. Nevertheless, GICs are a reasonable alternative for low-risk investors who would otherwise leave their money in cash.
Advertisem*nt
Advertisem*nt
Featured accounts
sponsored
5-year GIC
Interest rate: 4.25%
go to site
sponsored
1-year GIC
Interest rate: 4.3%
go to site
MoneySense is an award-winning magazine, helping Canadians navigate money matters since 1999. Our editorial team of trained journalists works closely with leading personal finance experts in Canada. To help you find the best financial products, we compare the offerings from over 12 major institutions, including banks, credit unions and card issuers.Learn more about our advertising and trusted partners.
ETFs
Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are a basket of assets, usually stocks, bonds or a combination of the two. Canadian investors can choose from a wide range of ETFs, with varying levels of performance and risk. Broad-based market ETFs tend to be a conservative and easy choice for investors during all market cycles, if they are willing to hold for the long term.
The best ETFs in Canada Read now
What to expect in 2024
The BoC is determined to bring inflation back down to 2%. After a reversal of the trend in May, the latest CPI reading indicates inflation continues to cool and move toward the BoC’s 2% target.
Read more about inflation:
- Compound interest calculator: How interest grows
- What does high inflation mean for your retirement savings?
- A contrarian approach to inflation, interest rates and the markets
Comments
Inflation higher than 2% means the economy is growing too quickly? What?!
It means prices are rising faster than the economy is growing. This is such a blatant inversion of what should be basic economic understanding. Inflation erodes your purchasing power.
Reply
Canadian population growth is 6% by importing immigrants indicates that native canadians can not afford to have children due to lack of earnings by couples to meet standard of living in AI world.
Reply
Advertisem*nt
Related Articles
What you should know about cryptocurrency tax in Canada
Stocks
Sobeys/FreshCo parent company, Empire reports earnings
Empire bets on full-service grocery stores gaining strength as economy improves.
Sobeys/FreshCo parent company, Empire reports earnings
Retirement
New to Canada and no pension: How to save for your retirement
How much money do you need to retire in Canada, and what sources of income can you rely on...
New to Canada and no pension: How to save for your retirement
Investing
Making sense of the markets this week: September 15, 2024
Inflation’s down, a nuclear-powered Oracle rises, Empire and Dollarama thrive, and the S&P 500 welcomes new family members.
Making sense of the markets this week: September 15, 2024
News
Dollarama reports higher Q2 profit as shoppers look for savings on essentials
Company CEO Neil Rossy says Dollarama isn’t in the grocery business, but it’s still keeping an eye on competitors...
Dollarama reports higher Q2 profit as shoppers look for savings on essentials
Financial Planning
When working with a financial advisor, understand what fees you’re paying
Financial advisors have different investing styles and fee structures. Here’s how to choose the right planner for your needs...
When working with a financial advisor, understand what fees you’re paying
Investing
Private equity, private debt and more alternative investments: Should you invest?
Why private investments in Canada are booming right now and what you should know about them.
Private equity, private debt and more alternative investments: Should you invest?
Retirement
How to plan for retirement when you have no pension
Practical advice on how to build your retirement savings for employees at mid-career, the self-employed, single parents and more.
How to plan for retirement when you have no pension
Debt
Battle of the generations: Who’s having the toughest time with finances in Canada?
Boomers admit they had it easier than others, but Gen Z gave themselves a C in paying off debt....
Battle of the generations: Who’s having the toughest time with finances in Canada?
Investing
The best GIC rates in Canada for 2024
Find the best GIC rates in Canada. Plus, everything you need to know about how they work.
The best GIC rates in Canada for 2024
Advertisem*nt