CANADA: Gov't Expected To Narrowly Win Budget Vote, Avoid Snap Election
Nov-17 17:00
The gov't of PM Mark Carney is expected to narrowly win this evening's vote on the 2026 federal budget, viewed as a confidence vote and risking a snap election if the gov't falls short of a majority. None of the parties is believed to have the campaigning infrastructure ready to go for a December/January election, and for the main opposition centre-right Conservatives in particular, a snap election would risk further losses from their April federal election seat total, according to opinion polls. Vote expected ~18:45ET (23:45GMT, 00:45CET).
- Carney's centre-left Liberal Party can rely on 169 votes in the House of Commons compared to the opposition's 173. Politico notes the potential paths towards success for the gov't: "If two opposition MPs side with the Liberals, there will be a tie. The speaker would break that tie by voting with the Liberal government. [...] Should the PM win [Green leader Elizabeth] May’s support, the Liberals would still need two abstentions to tie the vote. If five opposition MPs sit out, the budget passes. If four opposition MPs abstain from the vote, the speaker will settle the tie, again, voting with the Liberal government. "
- The Globe and Mail reports "up to five of the seven New Democratic MPs are expected to vote against the budget, [...] interim party leader Don Davies and B.C. MP Gordon Johns are expected to abstain. Quebec MP Alexandre Boulerice is another New Democrat who could abstain".
- The potential abstention of retiring Conservative MP Matt Jeneroux (Edmonton Riverbend), who has not voted in the previous two confidence votes, would further bolster the gov'ts chances.
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LOOK AHEAD: US Week Ahead Headlined By Delayed CPI Report On Friday
Oct-17 20:51
- The September US CPI report will be released on Friday, delayed amidst the government shutdown but with the BLS making a special exception on social security payment considerations.
- Bloomberg consensus looks for headline CPI inflation at a rounded 0.4% M/M after 0.38% back in August and for Y/Y inflation to firm two tenths to 3.1% for what would be its highest since May 2024.
- Core inflation is seen at a rounded 0.3% M/M after 0.35% in August (exceeding the median unrounded estimate of 0.31%) and 0.32% in July. It’s expected to see core CPI inflation hold at 3.1% Y/Y having in August increased to its highest since February.
- Core details should see focus on both goods and services angles: underlying goods inflation has clearly firmed in recent months on tariff pressures although the median increase has currently seen a peak back in June, whilst services will be watched for any spillover after some strong recent non-housing readings.
- The report will come within the FOMC blackout period ahead of the Oct 28-29 decision, with a 25bp cut fully priced and likely needing a large surprise to alter this.
- As for broader inflation details, Fed Chair Powell this week confusingly suggested that we will have the September PPI report but the BLS had previously said “No other releases will be rescheduled or produced until the resumption of regular government services”.
US DATA: Latest Jobless Claims Estimates During The Shutdown
Oct-17 20:30
As noted earlier, MNI estimates initial jobless claims at a seasonally adjusted 218k in the week to Oct 11 and continuing claims at a seasonally adjusted 1929k in the week to Oct 4.
- To give a better idea of sensitivity around these estimates, which rely on estimates for some missing states, we note the below analyst estimates:
- Goldman Sachs have a central estimate of 217k for initial claims in a range of 211-225k, whilst they see continuing claims at 1917k in a range of 1885-1930k.
- JPMorgan meanwhile also see 217k for initial claims whilst they see continuing claims as having held constant at 1927k.
NATGAS: Venture Global in Talks with Ukraine for more LNG Deliveries, Reuters
Oct-17 20:28
Ukraine is seeking more cargoes from Venture’s Plaquemines facility as the embattled nation approaches the winter heating season, according to Reuters sources
- Venture is in talks with Ukraine’s DTEK to procure more LNG cargoes after a year of gas infrastructure attacks by the Russians.
- Venture Global CEO Michael Sabel met with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Thursday October 16.
- DTEK signed an agreement in 2024 for an undisclosed amount of LNG from the facility, as well as 2 mtpa from Calcasieu Pass Phase 2 currently under construction.
- Plaquemines currently has spare capacity to deliver more cargoes to Ukraine on the spot market, per Reuters.
- Plaquemines now sends out the second highest LNG volume in the US, with feedgas demand averaging 3.45 bcf/d according to MNI figures.
