“What’s going to happen with the Delta variant, it may pause things for a month or two as we have to work through and make sure we don’t overwhelm the health system. It’s a little concerning to see the numbers,” he said.
“But that will not, I think, upend the majority of the momentum we have. So still very positive about the continued progress on reopening the economy through the next 12 to 24 months.”
Along with the impacts of Covid-19 variants, he said the bank is watching other challenges to global growth including the inconsistent global vaccine rollout, supply chain disruptions, rising geopolitical risk and continued global travel restrictions.
The bank, however, is encouraged by economic indicators such as rising credit card spending and business investments, draws on operating working capital lines and the growth of term asset lending.
“You’re seeing all the signs of economic confidence,” said McKay.
The bank has also seen significant mortgage growth, up $37 billion year over year including over $9 billion in the third quarter, a growth trend that McKay said he expects to continue, though at a slower rate than what’s happened over the “exceptional” last year.
Rising mortgage loans have coincided with a big spike in home prices, but McKay said the bank isn’t worried about the quality of its credit book so much as the long-term macroeconomic issues.
“Where I do worry,” he said, “is the more cash flow that consumers are putting in to housing stock, the less is available to drive the economy. So I think all policy-makers are worried partly as well about long-term economic drag from that much cash flow going into servicing housing.”
He stopped short of commenting on any specific housing policy proposals put out in the election, which have covered everything from banning blind bidding and foreign homebuyers to rental subsidies and supply commitments, saying that policies are required that balance the needs, prosperity, and happiness of Canadians.
For now, mortgage loans helped boost RBC earnings, though the bank saw much bigger gains from the further winding down of its provisions for credit loss.
Earnings came in at $4.3 billion, or $2.97 per diluted share in the quarter, up from $3.2 billion or $2.20 per diluted share in the same quarter last year.
The bank reported a $540 million reversal on its provisions for credit losses in the quarter ending July 30, compared with the $675 million it set aside for losses last year.
Revenue totalled $12.8 billion, down from $12.9 billion last year.
Adjusted earnings per share totalled $3 per diluted share for the quarter compared with an adjusted profit of $2.23 per diluted share a year earlier.
Analysts on average had expected a profit of $2.71 per share, according to financial market data firm Refinitiv.
The credit loss provisions were a key driver of the analyst beat, said John Aiken, the head of research in Canada for Barclays, in a note.
“Provisions were significantly below expectations on both a performing and impaired basis, which we estimate added roughly $0.30 per share to earnings. Impaired loan balances were down across all geographies with a significant drop off in new formations.”
While the earnings were roughly in line with expectations outside the boost from provisions, Aiken said he was encouraged that the bank showed strength in higher-multiple businesses like retail banking and wealth management.
RBC said its personal and commercial banking business earned $2.11 billion, up from $1.37 billion a year ago, helped by a reversal in its provisions for credit losses.
Wealth management reported a profit of $738 million compared with $562 million in the same quarter last year, while RBC’s insurance business earned $234 million, up from $216 million a year ago. The bank said in a release that wealth management growth was “mainly due to higher average fee-based client assets reflecting market appreciation and net sales.”
Assets under administration in wealth management were $1.29 trillion while assets under management were $975.6 billion, both up from the previous quarter and year.
RBC’s capital markets arm earned $1.13 billion, up from $949 million in the same quarter last year, helped by the reversal in its provisions for credit losses and record corporate and investment banking revenue.
Investor and treasury services saw net income of $88 million, up from $76 million a year ago.
The bank announced that its board of directors declared a quarterly common share dividend of $1.08 per share, unchanged since Q1 of 2020.
TORONTO – Canada’s main stock index was up more than 100 points in late-morning trading, helped by strength in base metal and utility stocks, while U.S. stock markets were mixed.
The S&P/TSX composite index was up 103.40 points at 24,542.48.
In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 192.31 points at 42,932.73. The S&P 500 index was up 7.14 points at 5,822.40, while the Nasdaq composite was down 9.03 points at 18,306.56.
The Canadian dollar traded for 72.61 cents US compared with 72.44 cents US on Tuesday.
The November crude oil contract was down 71 cents at US$69.87 per barrel and the November natural gas contract was down eight cents at US$2.42 per mmBTU.
The December gold contract was up US$7.20 at US$2,686.10 an ounce and the December copper contract was up a penny at US$4.35 a pound.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 16, 2024.
TORONTO – Canada’s main stock index was up more than 200 points in late-morning trading, while U.S. stock markets were also headed higher.
The S&P/TSX composite index was up 205.86 points at 24,508.12.
In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 336.62 points at 42,790.74. The S&P 500 index was up 34.19 points at 5,814.24, while the Nasdaq composite was up 60.27 points at 18.342.32.
The Canadian dollar traded for 72.61 cents US compared with 72.71 cents US on Thursday.
The November crude oil contract was down 15 cents at US$75.70 per barrel and the November natural gas contract was down two cents at US$2.65 per mmBTU.
The December gold contract was down US$29.60 at US$2,668.90 an ounce and the December copper contract was up four cents at US$4.47 a pound.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 11, 2024.
TORONTO – Canada’s main stock index was little changed in late-morning trading as the financial sector fell, but energy and base metal stocks moved higher.
The S&P/TSX composite index was up 0.05 of a point at 24,224.95.
In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 94.31 points at 42,417.69. The S&P 500 index was down 10.91 points at 5,781.13, while the Nasdaq composite was down 29.59 points at 18,262.03.
The Canadian dollar traded for 72.71 cents US compared with 73.05 cents US on Wednesday.
The November crude oil contract was up US$1.69 at US$74.93 per barrel and the November natural gas contract was up a penny at US$2.67 per mmBTU.
The December gold contract was up US$14.70 at US$2,640.70 an ounce and the December copper contract was up two cents at US$4.42 a pound.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 10, 2024.
