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CTV News
9 minutes ago
- CTV News
Halifax sees biggest employment spike in a decade: report
Halifax enjoyed its largest employment growth in a decade last year, according to a new report that tracks labour, population, affordability, real estate and education in the Maritime city. The Halifax Index 2025, presented by TD, explores how the city fared in 2024 through eight key factors: people, labour, economy, communities, affordability, well-being, real estate and a scorecard. It also compares Halifax with nine major benchmark Canadian cities: St. John's, Quebec City, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo, Winnipeg, Calgary and Vancouver. 'A degree of moderation was evident in 2024, as population growth in Halifax slowed, the housing market eased slightly, and inflation declined allowing the Bank of Canada to start lowering interest rates,' the report reads. 'These factors contributed to greater purchasing power for Halifax residents and businesses after three consecutive years of decline. 'This forecast, however, was issued prior to the return of President Donald Trump to office in the United States. His threats and chaotic behaviour have caused confusion and elevated risk in the world economy, with Canada among the nations potentially affected most. The only certainty for 2025 would appear to be continued uncertainty with significant downside risks.' Labour The report says Halifax added 13,900 new jobs in 2024, the biggest increase since 2014. It also recorded a record high total employment of 277,400. Much of the employment growth was led by jobs in public administration (more than 4,500) and health care and social assistance (more than 3,900). Halifax had the second lowest unemployment rate among the benchmark cities, tied with Winnipeg and below Quebec City. Halifax lost jobs in: manufacturing: 1,200 professional, scientific and technical services: 1,300 information, culture and recreation: 1,200 forestry, mining, fishing, quarrying, oil and gas: 300 Population Halifax's population finally reached half a million in July 2024, but its growth rate fell to 2.4 per cent compared to 3.9 per cent in 2023. Its growth rate was the lowest among the benchmark cities. Overall the population grew by fewer than 12,000 people in 2024. 'Population growth was driven entirely by international migration,' the report reads. 'Natural growth, interprovincial migration, and intraprovincial migration figures were all negative. 'In 2024, the federal government introduced a series of tighter immigration measures including a cap on work permits and a new quota for study permits. As a result, Halifax admitted only 26,635 international migrants in 2024, a 4% drop compared to the previous year.' Economy Halifax's 2.6 per cent GDP growth rate was the second highest among the benchmark cities, according to the report. 'While Halifax's economy grew in 2024, GDP per capita did not,' the report reads. 'The pie got bigger, but each of the municipality's residents got a smaller slice. Productivity metrics remain less than encouraging. 'Cargo figures were down in 2024, at both Halifax Stanfield International Airport and the Port of Halifax, but air-passenger numbers continued to climb toward pre-pandemic levels. Cruise vessel and passenger figures, as well as total room nights sold, reached new record highs in 2024.' The report says Halifax saw positive growth in retail sales, but manufacturing sales fell after a three-year upward trend. Affordability Halifax enjoyed a six per cent increase in per capita income in 2024, but its poverty rate is at 13.3 per cent, behind only Toronto among the benchmark cities. The median child-care costs for infants in Halifax is $529 per month, which is in the middle of pack among the benchmark cities. More to come… For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
Globe and Mail
9 minutes ago
- Globe and Mail
KO's Strategic Pricing Drives Q2 Beat: What's Next for Investors?
The Coca-Cola Company 's KO strong second-quarter 2025 results were driven by a strategic emphasis on pricing, offset by a 1% volume decline. The company reported 5% organic revenue growth and EPS of 87 cents, beating expectations by 3 cents. A 6% increase in price/mix, primarily from pricing actions, played a pivotal role in delivering solid revenues amid choppy market conditions, including adverse weather and consumer pressure in key regions, like India and Mexico. The company's pricing strength was particularly evident in North America and Latin America, where Coca-Cola Zero Sugar and premium innovations performed well despite softer volumes. Coca-Cola remains confident in its ability to sustain momentum, highlighting the effectiveness of its 'all-weather' strategy. Management emphasized rapid pivots and granular market-specific execution to address shifting dynamics, whether through affordability plays like refillables in Mexico or digital customer platforms in India. Strategic marketing, including campaigns like 'Share a Coke' and innovative product launches such as Sprite + Tea, continues to enhance consumer engagement and drive value share, which increased for the 17th consecutive quarter. For investors, the key takeaway is Coca-Cola's proven ability to manage pricing intelligently while navigating global macro volatility. With refreshed guidance of 5-6% organic revenue growth and 8% EPS growth (currency-neutral), supported by strong free cash flow and margin expansion, the company is well-positioned to weather uncertainty. Continued reinvestment in capabilities, AI-driven pricing tools and robust execution across emerging and developed markets provides confidence in KO's ability to deliver consistent, long-term shareholder value. Smart Pricing Tactics: How PEP & KDP Are Challenging KO's Playbook In the competitive beverage landscape, Coca-Cola's pricing strategy faces strong challenges from key rivals like PepsiCo Inc. PEP and Keurig Dr Pepper Inc. KDP, both of which are making calculated moves to protect margins and drive growth. PepsiCo continues to lean into its premiumization strategy, zero-sugar innovation and value-pack formats to navigate inflation and evolving consumer preferences. The company has effectively balanced price increases with brand equity, particularly through its strong performance in the Gatorade and Pepsi Zero Sugar lines, while expanding distribution across retail and foodservice channels. Keurig Dr Pepper, on the other hand, is leveraging portfolio diversification and digital shelf analytics to refine price-pack architecture across its coffee and CSD (carbonated soft drink) segments. The company has focused on strategic pricing in single-serve coffee and enhanced retail execution in flavored sodas like Dr Pepper and Canada Dry. With a mix of value-driven offerings and data-led promotional tactics, KDP is sharpening its competitive edge, particularly in North America's value-conscious beverage market. The Zacks Rundown for Coca-Cola KO's shares have risen 11.9% year to date compared with the industry 's growth of 6.7%. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research From a valuation standpoint, Coca-Cola trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 22.45X, significantly higher than the industry's 17.28X. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research The Zacks Consensus Estimate for KO's 2025 and 2026 earnings implies year-over-year growth of 3.1% and 8.3%, respectively. Earnings estimates for 2025 and 2026 have been unchanged in the past 30 days. Coca-Cola currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. 5 Stocks Set to Double Each was handpicked by a Zacks expert as the #1 favorite stock to gain +100% or more in the coming year. While not all picks can be winners, previous recommendations have soared +112%, +171%, +209% and +232%. Most of the stocks in this report are flying under Wall Street radar, which provides a great opportunity to get in on the ground floor. Today, See These 5 Potential Home Runs >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report CocaCola Company (The) (KO): Free Stock Analysis Report PepsiCo, Inc. (PEP): Free Stock Analysis Report Keurig Dr Pepper, Inc (KDP): Free Stock Analysis Report
CTV News
9 minutes ago
- CTV News
Cambridge Centre closed Wednesday due to watermain break
Watermain repairs at the Cambridge Centre on July 23, 2025. (Sidra Jafri/CTV News) The Cambridge Centre shut its doors Wednesday as crews worked to fix a watermain break. 'The mall will reopen once the repair is complete,' a social media post said. By noon, workers could be seen near one of the entrances. An excavator had been brought in to rip up asphalt and dirt from the parking lot. The extent of the damage, if any, is not known.
