County Canadian Financial News

dollar was firm on Wednesday and trading on the precipice of the 160 yen barrier as investors turned cautious and counted down to the release of U.S. price data at the end of the week. The euro eased marginally overnight and was steady at $1.0708 in Asia trade. At 159.71 per dollar, the yen's level has markets on alert since that is only a whisker shy of where Japanese authorities likely stepped in to buy yen in April.

When it comes to Canada’s productivity emergency, “the entire country is feeling the pain.”

Inside Out 2" has emerged as the biggest blockbuster of the year after going past «Dune 2». The animated film has so far collected $285.7 million. "Dune: Part Two" had a box-office collection of $282 million to become the highest-grossing film in the North America. «Inside Out 2» has achieved the feat within just eight days of running in theaters after collecting $30.5 million on Friday.

Chrystia Freeland stumbed over a question posed to her on why Khalistseparatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was on the no-fly list and had his bank accounts frozen before his death, is now being honoured with a tribute in the Canadian Parliament. In a video that has now gone viral on social media, a journalist asked Freeland on the paradox of honouring Nijjar despite past government actions against him. The journalist questioned the reason behind this sudden change.

Nikhil Gupta, an Indian national, has been extradited from the Czech Republic to the United States in connection with an alleged foiled plot to murder Khalistan separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. This extradition has brought renewed attention to the case against Gupta, who allegedly hired a hitman at the behest of an Indian government official. The US Department of Justice claims Pannun was targeted for exercising his freedom of speech in America. Gupta has pleaded not guilty. Gupta's extradition was approved by Czech authorities on June 3 but was made public just before the visit of US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan to India. Sullivan’s visit, primarily aimed at reviewing the Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) with his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval, was overshadowed by the developments in the Gupta case. Czech Justice Minister Pavel Blazek announced the extradition the same day Sullivan landed in India. Subsequently, a group of Democrat senators wrote to Secretary of State Antony Blinken demanding a stronger response to the alleged Indian involvement in the plot. According to the US Department of Justice, Pannun is a dual US-Canadian national and political activist. They assert that «Pannun is an American national and political activist who was targeted for exercising a 'quintessential American right: his freedom of speech.'»

Elevated interest rates are an ongoing thorn in Canadians’ sides, leaving them staring at a “bleak” retirement outlook, according to a new survey.

TORONTO — Binance Holdings Ltd. is appealing a $6-million fine imposed on the company by Fintrac, the federal anti-money laundering agency.

Higher mortgage payments during the Bank of Canada’s tightening cycle have forced only a small number of Canadians to take drastic measures and sell their home.

Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) on "Indian spies" and the Modi government's «infiltration» in Australia has uncanny similarities with «revelations» made in the report of Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) which also made similar allegations. The ABC report claimed that the Sikh diaspora and their families in India have been «coerced» by Indian authorities and that the Australian government while expanding ties with India is worried about «Indian spies» on its soil. The ABC report also refers to the Hardeep Singh Nijjar case and the Canadian government's accusation against India. «As the federal government embraces Narendra Modi and his administration as an important partner, the long arm of the Indian state is reaching Australia, silencing critics and threatening members of the diaspora… In 2020, India-Australia relations seemed better than ever. Trade deals were blossoming and a range of defence alliances were being signed in response to China's growing power in the region. In secret though, Australia was unhappy with India's spy operations in the country,» alleged the ABC report titled 'Infiltrating Australia', published on June 17.

Rolling out an automatic tax filing system would mean Canadians receive more than a billion dollars each year in currently unclaimed benefits from not filing their tax returns, according to the federal fiscal watchdog.

Canadians who are self-employed must file their 2023 income tax and benefit returns by Monday, June 17.

National Bank of Canada’s bid to buy Canadian Western Bank is yet another sign that Canada’s banking sector is going to further consolidate as the larger banks try to gain more control and tackle any headwinds they might face in the near term, some analysts say.

By Howard Levitt and Chase Frazer

Israel-Gaza conflict published below posts from global news organisations and US lawmakers, the social media company said in its quarterly security report. The social media accounts posted as Jewish students, African Americans, and other concerned citizens are targeting the US and Canadian audiences.

Fitch revised the outlook on Toronto-Dominion Bank’s credit ratings to “negative” from “stable” on Tuesday, citing risks to its business from the anti-money laundering probes it is facing.

ALSO READ: Indian students facing 'deportation' up in arms in CanadaThe protesting Indian students have been on a hunger strike for the past four days. Their stir began on May 9.During the agitation, 60 protestors carrying posters and banners demonstrated in front of the Colest Building at the PEI legislature.Jaspreet Singh Sivia, one of the protesters, has blamed the government for disrupting the lives of people who were already in the process of getting permanent residency (PR) in Canada, reported CBC. “There have been no actions taken.

Rising strain in auto loans and Canadian mortgages led Scotiabank to set aside more money in case they go bad, leading to a drop in second quarter profits.

Gentari Sdn Bhd, the renewable energy arm of Malaysian energy giant Petronas, is the frontrunner for a part of the India renewable portfolio of Brookfield Asset Management, said two people aware of the development. Gentari, which has conducted due diligence of the assets, has signed an exclusivity agreement for further negotiations with Brookfield, they said. Government-run Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) is another contender that has completed due diligence, said people with knowledge of the matter. The 2 GW renewable portfolio of Brookfield in India that’s up for sale has an estimated enterprise value of $800 million-1 billion (Rs 6,600-8,300 crore). Other entities that had submitted initial bids but are no longer in the race include Sekura Energy, Sembcorp and UAE's Masdar Energy, they said. Of the portfolio, 1 GW is operational and projects with a capacity of 1 GW are under construction, expected to be completed within 18 months, said the people cited.

MicroStrategy head and Bitcoin advocate Michael Saylor has highlighted major Bitcoin ETF milestone in his recent X (Twitter) post. He noted that more than 1 million (or 1 Nakamoto) BTC are held in spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

Nearly 40% of institutional investors had some exposure to crypto assets in 2023, a notable rise from the 31% recorded in 2021.

Prince Edward Island (PEI), a significant protest is unfolding. A group of former and current international students, mostly from India, have taken to the streets, voicing their distress over a policy shift that jeopardizes their future prospects in the country. According to reports, the controversy centers on the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), a lifeline for many international students aiming to secure permanent residency (PR) in Canada. Typically, Indian students enroll in institutions in provinces like Ontario or British Columbia. However, upon realizing the fierce competition for PR in these densely populated areas, many transfer to smaller, less populated provinces like PEI. Do you meet the immigration criteria? Check here These provinces, grappling with stagnant and aging populations, have historically relied on the PNP to attract temporary residents, thereby addressing labor shortages and sustaining population growth.