Here are five things you need to know this morning
Retail sales rebound to start 2026: Canadian retail sales are on track to rebound to start the year after a sluggish end to 2025. Receipts for retailers increased by 1.5 per cent in January, according to an advanced estimate from Statistics Canada. This follows tepid retail sales growth of 0.1 per cent in the fourth quarter, and a 0.4 per cent decline in December. December’s drop was led by decreases at motor vehicle and parts dealers.
Canadian pensions back U.S. private credit bailout: The private credit market is in the spotlight today after U.S. private market and alternative asset manager Blue Owl Capital permanently restricted withdrawals from one of its retail-focused debt funds. The firm did find buyers for a US$1.4 billion portfolio of loans to help pay out investors, including Canadian pension funds Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System and British Columbia Investment Management Corp.. Private credit, which are generally direct loans made by non-bank lenders to companies, have ballooned into a roughly $3 trillion market globally. There are worries that defaults by some of the companies could leave investors vulnerable, and send shock waves through the financial system.
Bloc pushes for bank fraud repayments: The Bloc Québécois is pushing for an amendment to the federal budget bill that would require banks to reimburse customers who experience fraud. The Bloc’s finance critic says Canada’s big five banks have dodged responsibility toward customers for too long, adding that this amendment would shift the burden from consumers to the banks. Reported fraud in the first nine months of 2025 totalled more than $540 million.
Newmont files notice against Barrick: Newmont has sent Barrick Mining a so-called notice of default after finding evidence of alleged mismanagement at a Nevada joint venture. Barrick allegedly diverted resources from the venture, Nevada Gold Mines, or NGM, to benefit its wholly-owned Fourmile project, Denver-based Newmont said in a filing to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. “While we disagree with Newmont’s claims, we are limited by the terms of the joint venture agreement in what we can say,” Barrick President and Chief Executive Officer Mark Hill said in a statement to Bloomberg News.
The intervention by Newmont may complicate Barrick’s plans to separate its North American assets and sell a 10 per cent to 15 per cent stake in the new company later this year.
Smart decisions in the AI era: Investors are watching which companies are spending wisely in the AI era. BNN Bloomberg contributor Jon Erlichman spoke with a market pro about eight stocks where disciplined capital allocation and smart management decisions could pay off.
