The Boxing Day sales are an essential part of Australia’s festive season. Every year on December 26 news outlets invariably feature stories about excited shoppers queuing up at the major department stores hoping to score bargains and heavily discounted products. While such reports portray the day’s sales as a time-honoured tradition, they are only a […]
Canadians are losing faith in the economy — and it’s affecting their perception of inequality
Nearly half of Canadian workers feel as though the economic conditions in Canada are “poor,” according to our survey of 2,500 Canadian workers in September of 2023. And another 38 per cent said they believed economic conditions are “only fair.” These findings are unsurprising, given the poor state of the Canadian economy and the growing […]
There’s a glimmer of hope in the mid-year budget update, but inflation is still a big challenge
The federal government knows people are doing it tough. Inflation and interest rate pressures have put the cost-of-living at the forefront of voters’ minds. As the national accounts data shows, disposable income has fallen. Households have been forced to run down their savings. The household savings ratio has hit its lowest level in 16 years. […]
Budget update forecasts deficit of $1.1 billion this financial year
The federal budget is headed for a small $1.1 billion deficit this financial year, according to the update released by Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Finance Minister Katy Gallagher on Wednesday morning. This is an improvement of $12.8 billion compared to the deficit forecast in the May budget. It suggests the final figure for the financial […]
Could UPS and FedEx get holiday packages to their destinations faster? This research suggests yes
Every year, parcel delivery companies – think UPS and FedEx – hire tens of thousands of seasonal driver helpers to handle the deluge of presents that arrive with the holidays. At peak times, shipping firms depend on their helpers just as much as Santa depends on his elves. And those companies could save millions of […]
The government is bringing immigration back to ‘normal levels’ but cuts are not as dramatic as they seem
On Monday, the federal government announced plans to fix Australia’s “broken migration system” and to “bring migration back to sustainable, normal levels”. Its long-awaited migration strategy aims “to build a migration system that earns the trust and confidence of our citizens”, or what the government calls, “rebuilding the social licence”. The government says these changes […]
There’s a financial literacy gender gap − and older women are eager for education that meets their needs
Every day, families across the U.S. have to make difficult decisions about budgeting, spending, insurance, investments, savings, retirement and on and on. When faced with these choices, financial literacy – that is, knowing how to make informed decisions about money – is key. Yet, Americans in general aren’t very financially literate. And recent research suggests […]
Americans are tiptoeing out of economic turmoil this holiday shopping season
With two big shopping days on the horizon – Black Friday and Cyber Monday – U.S. retailers are getting ready for the most important time of the year. The stakes are high: For some companies, the holiday shopping season accounts for 50% of annual revenue. But economic uncertainty and recent inflation could put a damper […]
5 marketing lessons from the Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce romance
What happens when you unite the biggest pop star in the world and a two-time Super Bowl champion? A whole lot of excitement, as the romance of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce has shown. But amid all the cheering, canoodling and Instagram flirting, the situation lends some useful insights into marketing – and as an […]
6 essential reads on what to look out for as US, Chinese leaders hold face-to-face talks
U.S. President Joe Biden sits down with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on Nov. 15, 2023, in the first head-to-head talks between the leaders of the world’s two biggest economies in over a year. During that time, relations between the two countries have not been their best – a spat over a purported spy balloon […]