Canadian Banks (UPDATE)Canadian bank stocks haven't really moved in 2 years. This consolidation has confused both bulls and bears, but it will come to an end by the end of this year (2020). Breaking above the all-time high will be a big buy signal, as it will indicate that the cyclical bull market is still intact. However, breaking below the major upward trendline will confirm a change in trend. Current the bias is to the upside, but this can quickly change if time runs out and price doesn't make it above the all-time high.
Based on my own fundamental analysis of the Canadian banking sector, there are significant problems brewing that could heavily impact equity values. Bank assets that are included in this bank index are mainly composed of speculative loans (+75% of bank balance sheets) to the real estate and financial sector. In China it's the opposite situation, where most bank assets are held by corporations who are engaged in some kind of productive activity. Thus, in Canada if there is a shock in the asset values of the speculative assets underlying the loans it will have a severe negative impact on Canadian bank equity.
Also, remember that Canada's yield curve is currently negative. This is a big sign of a recession ahead for the country. Households are holding a significant amount of debt (almost the highest ratios in the world), and are staring at some of the highest asset valuations in history. Moreover, manufacturing is contracting. There are no industrial policies in Canada at the moment that could counteract these trends, and it doesn't seem like Canadian governments are shifting away from laissez-faire policies.
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