The total demand for final (or “end-use”) goods and services within an economy. It makes up the national income of an economy.

A rate of change that has been converted into one that reflects the rate on an annual, or yearly, basis.

Exploiting price differentials between two or more markets. For example, if the C$ is trading at US$1.05551 in London and US$1.05552 in Paris, an arbitrageur can turn a profit by buying in London and selling in Paris.

The bank rate is the annual rate of interest charged by the Bank of Canada on its one-day loans to financial institutions. (The Conference Board does a 5-Year and 20 year forecast of this indicator)

Oil in North America is measured in “barrels.” One barrel equals 42 U.S. gallons, or 159 litres.

One basis point equals 1/100th of a percentage point. Therefore, if the Bank of Canada raises its key lending rate from 5 per cent to 5.25 per cent, it is said to have raised the rate by 25 basis points.

The Bureau of Economic Analysis is the U.S. equivalent of Statistics Canada and a key source of U.S. economic data. It is an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce.

In 1944, officials from the Allied countries met in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, to set up an international monetary structure for the post–Second World War era. It included the establishment of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund. Under the Bretton Woods structure, all currency exchange rates were pegged to the US$. The structure colla [..]

The BRIC countries are Brazil, Russia, India, and China. They are grouped together because they are fast becoming new economic powers.

As defined by Statistics Canada, small businesses are goods-producing businesses with fewer than 100 employees, or service-producing businesses with fewer than 50 employees. Medium-size businesses employ fewer than 500 workers. Large businesses have 500 or more employees.