Financial Predictions for 2018

My ability to see the future is unreliable, but I am willing to guess about the future. I supply these financial predictions for 2018 as an example, and anyone who uses them to make financial decisions, does it at their own peril.

BCM Financial Predictions

1. Interest rates will continue going up. Inflation is in the air and the economy is starting to overheat. By the end of this year, the overnight rate will be at least 2.5%. This is a 150% increase, so be aware, and lower debt.
2. The Canadian Dollar will be above 85 cents by the end of 2018. The American economy is going well for now, but the Canadian economy will do better. The Tax relief in the USA will cause their economy to overheat for a while as well (i.e. Inflation).
3. One of the 3 following bubbles will burst:
   1. Bitcoin, someone will finally point out the Emperor is naked and it will plummet.
   2. Marijuana, the only people making money on this are going to be the Governments (and they will find ways to blow that money).
   3. Property Bubbles, things seem to be cooling down in some areas, but in Ottawa and Montreal things continue to heat up.
4. The Old Bull in the Stock Market, will continue to rise, for the first half of the year, however one of those bubbles bursting (see 3) will stress things and the markets may end the year at the same levels. Remember to take your profits and rebalance your portfolios.
5. Maybe not this year, but soon a prominent investing firm will be found out to be a front for an AI trading system, with few human employees. My guess is this is already going on, but the disclosure of this should cause upheaval in the trading world (but it won’t).
6. The Phoenix pay system will be scrapped, but the new system will work no better. The cancellation will cause a larger Federal Budget deficit.
7. There will be a bigger data breach than the Equifax catastrophe, that will be disclosed. It most likely happened in 2017.

Official Disclaimer

Please remember, these are SWAG from the BCM (simple wild ass guess from the Big Cajun Man), and you should never use these financial predictions for your financial planning.