 鲜花( 0)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
Ron Chalmers, The Edmonton Journal
" z4 f# o( T" B5 |; X: GPublished: Tuesday, April 03, 20078 |5 W, a) {9 Z7 d9 W7 V
' q# F" ]& Z( q% X) x; Y9 d# g+ r- HEDMONTON - Most Albertans think this is a bad time to buy a house -- but a good time to buy major household items.5 h% V C4 f: x( l' [9 v& @4 C* L
) F6 K! g, {/ L, g' T
Leger Marketing surveyed 900 Alberta consumers for PricewaterhouseCoopers, in February, asking about the economy.
7 e) V5 z/ ~" k V; _( w3 o
/ d L) h- Q4 X x1 ]" RResponses were compiled on a 200-point scale, with scores above 100 indicating optimism that conditions are good or will improve, and lower scores revealing pessimism that conditions are bad or will worsen.
4 D; G6 ^% ?9 W5 U' U' `
2 n8 ]( y8 {% \Is this a good time to buy a house in Alberta?" B- K4 z- e6 B7 _. \6 y4 n8 \; B8 |
: M. o; Z6 T6 D1 ]( s! c' A1 ?5 N
No, not according to the sample's composite score of 71, showing significant doubt.3 `/ i0 u7 m# E( X
: v; k: Z# K& T/ r' b* j; Z/ H7 J/ g7 SLeger's report noted "the relatively pessimistic sentiment regarding interest rates, combined with the fact that the housing market in Alberta has boomed over the last two years."
4 ]) o: E* z' K9 y' U# c+ ` R) m0 f; k' j3 ~: \
When asked specifically about interest rates, the sample scored 66, with a widely-shared belief that rates will rise.
% A; r( w" K3 C9 E4 k& s% L
4 I% e0 a* x# r- aA question about household incomes drew a score of 141, as most people expected incomes to rise." V" x+ [9 b/ k! l) j0 i$ o
: ?# B& w! [: }: c; \7 M! f
The sample scored 161 -- overwhelmingly affirmative -- when asked whether this is a good time to buy major household items "reflecting the fact that many Albertans are experiencing unprecedented levels of disposable income," the report said.
: C" T7 G) k1 |5 G, Z4 _" F- s, M
The prospect for future unemployment was highly optimistic at 127 -- although it's hard to imagine how unemployment could fall any lower.
+ {" t* c4 {) s% f* j" p9 L+ v% |
, d% X% p3 {+ r* C: a# hA related online survey of 420 Alberta business leaders similarly found optimism about fiscal conditions, current and future business conditions, and future unemployment -- all pushed by "the hot Alberta economy," the Leger report said.$ R* b& |+ t) y% i, {6 P& Y
9 T: B5 A% c, a! h3 rAmong those several measures, it found that fiscal expectations were the least positive, "which may be attributed in part to the fact that Alberta has a new premier in place, creating uncertainty in relation to fiscal conditions if compared to the previous Klein administration."
9 b6 A: e8 Y1 D p( K4 p# G5 ^, ?, o5 Z- Z2 k! M3 ~
The business sample, like the consumer sample, expected interest rates to rise.
" N# h! E2 H! ^( H. |
1 S2 E% ?* _2 A, |, o5 H" @Barry James, PricewaterhouseCoopers' managing partner in Edmonton, urged borrowers to consider the risk of higher rates.. H. Q7 h, \" }! d8 @/ o0 B
0 _6 s6 T+ r* p3 Q( L o
"If you're going to make a large spend, ask yourself what one or two or three more points would cost," he suggested. |
|
狗仔卡
发表于 2007-4-3 06:55
提升卡
置顶卡
沉默卡
喧嚣卡
变色卡
显身卡
发表于 2007-4-4 14:25
晕啊~~我看晕了~~~
