Article
What Could the Second Half of 2020 Have in Store for the Canadian Economy?
September 10, 2020 3 Minute Read
The economic data from the first half of 2020 was never going to be pretty. But amid the bad news there are some encouraging signs heading into the second half of the year.
The latest official GDP figures for Q2 2020 confirm that the Canadian economy fell by 37.7% on an annualized basis in the second quarter of the year.
Let’s take a closer look at what that means, and what the rest of the year could have in store.
The Initial Drop
The decline was clear across most components of the country’s GDP and marks the largest quarterly drop in Canada’s recorded history.
A longer lockdown than the U.S.’s and a hit to our country’s energy sector were largely to blame for the dip.
However, there are signs that Canada’s near-term recovery may be stronger than that of other countries, because of our initial handling of the pandemic.
The Role of Central Banks
Central banks will continue to play a key role in the global economic recovery. Early in the pandemic they cut interest rates to zero and launched major stimulus programs.
At the same time, they have been reviewing their mandates and strategies. After years of undershooting on inflation targets, there seems to be a shift in global monetary policy underway.
The Federal Reserve has unveiled a major policy shift, allowing inflation and employment to run moderately hotter before taking action. While in the past the Fed would have raised interest rates during a recovery to pre-empt rising inflation, now the central bank is prepared to let inflation run higher, averaging 2.0% over time.
This move signals that interest rates will remain low well into and after a global recovery. The Bank of Canada is currently reviewing its strategy, but it is largely expected to match the Fed’s approach.
The Months Ahead
The moves made by the central banks will have short and long-term implications for commercial real estate.
Lower interest rates could result in further cap rate compression for sectors with strong fundamentals, including multifamily and industrial.
Over the long run, hotter inflation could lift bond yields and result in a higher cost of debt. But the overall impact is expected to be net positive, as commercial real estate becomes an even more attractive inflation-hedge investment.
Recent Insights
-
Fraser McKenna and his team are working with Beedie, a West Coast residential and commercial developer, to sell industrial condo units at BOLT, its new development in Bolton, ON.
-
The Canadian retail sector faces robust demand, low vacancy rates and limited construction activity, but CBRE’s Alistair Corbett says new developments are about to kick off in Alberta.
-
CBRE Group, Inc. earlier this year combined its project management business with Turner & Townsend, a majority-owned subsidiary that provides program management, cost consultancy and project management services globally.
Stay In The Know
Subscribe today and join hundreds of professionals who get the latest blogs delivered straight to their inbox.