Results from the winter Business Outlook Survey suggest that business sentiment is broadly positive except in the Prairies, where indicators remain weak. In aggregate, firms’ outlook is supported by expectations of healthy domestic and foreign sales.
Survey results suggest that consumers’ inflation expectations declined slightly in the fourth quarter of 2019. Consumers’ expectations for their wage growth were largely the same as in the previous survey. Consumer expectations for house price growth went up somewhat in Canada.
This article presents the key results from the autumn 2019 Bank of Canada Financial System Survey, conducted September 24 and October 11, 2019. This survey included special questions on climate change risk.
Results from the autumn Business Outlook Survey indicate that business sentiment improved slightly, but regional differences are more pronounced. Positive views in Central Canada contrast with widespread weakness in the Prairies.
For household lending, mortgage conditions ease this quarter while non-mortgage lending conditions tightened. Overall business lending conditions were unchanged, with a slight tightening in non-price conditions and unchanged price conditions.