Thursday, February 02, 2012
Toronto, On — On the heels of the annual Davos World Economic Forum a monthly poll of citizen consumer sentiment on the state of their national economies in 24 countries conducted by global research company Ipsos and released today shows that, despite a number of countries that continue to be mired in pessimism, all of the global regions assessed moved up in January.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Toronto, ON – Fewer Canadians overshot their holiday-spending budgets this year, but those that did let out the purse strings even more, according to a new Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of RBC. One in three (31%) Canadians say they spent more than they intended to during the holiday season this year, down 2 points from last year. However, among those that did, they overspent by an average of $467, up 9% from last year.
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Toronto, ON – A growing number of young Canadians have RRSPs, according to the 22nd annual RBC RRSP poll conducted by Ipsos Reid. While last year the proportion of young Canadians who hold an RRSP fell to 39% -- it’s lowest in nearly a decade – this year 43% of Canadians aged 18 to 34 report having an RRSP. However, while more young Canadians have RRSPs significantly fewer intend to contribute the maximum allowable to their RRSPs this year. Last year one in three (33%) young RRSP holders intended to contribute the maximum limit, while this year that proportion has dropped to just 16%, making them the least likely to do so and much less likely than the national average (25%).
Thursday, January 12, 2012
New York, NY – Looking ahead to 2012, most US adults expect to reduce their debt and save more in 2012, according to a new survey of over 1,000 adults aged 30 and older conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs on behalf of New York Life.
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Toronto, ON – Most (84%) Canadians believe that the current debt crisis in the Euro Zone will have an impact (25% a lot/59% somewhat) on Canada as a whole, according to a new Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of Postmedia News and Global Television. Just two in ten (16%) believe that he debt crisis won’t impact (2% not at all/14% not really) Canada as a whole.
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Toronto, ON – The holidays are a time of great joy for many, but also a time of stress. Other than the typical seasonal stress that many people feel at this time of year, four in ten (36%) say that their money and financial situation is causing them to feel more stress this year than last year according to a new Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of Sun Life.
Friday, December 16, 2011
Toronto, ON – One in three (35%) Canadians who intend to give gifts this holiday season say that the biggest challenge they face while shopping this year is having a tighter budget, while an equal proportion (35%) say their biggest challenge is not knowing what to buy, according to a new Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of RBC. Two in ten (21%) say their biggest challenge is that they dislike going to the mall and being in crowds, while one in twenty (5%) say that not having enough time is their biggest obstacle and 4% say some other aspect of holiday shopping is their biggest challenge.
Wednesday, December 07, 2011
Toronto, ON – Canadian holiday shoppers may be on the lookout for a good deal, but fewer say they’ll knowingly purchase counterfeit goods online to save a buck, according to a new Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of Microsoft. Three quarters (74%) ‘agree’ (28% strongly/45% somewhat) that ‘they plan on only buying gifts that are discounted or on sale this holiday season’, up 5 points from last year. However, fewer (25%) ‘agree’ (5% strongly/20% somewhat) that they will ‘consider purchasing fake clothing and accessories online if the product looked authentic and was available for a lesser cost’, down 4 points.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Toronto, ON – Despite a shaky economy, Canadians appear to be in a gift-giving mood, according to a new Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of RBC. Among the eight in ten (80%) Canadians who intend to give gifts this year, the average amount of money they intend to spend is $640, up slightly from the $624 they intended to spend last year. But where Canadians are intending to pull out all the stops is with all the other spending that goes along with the holiday season. On things like clothing, travel, decorations, beauty services, food, drink or entertainment, Canadians anticipate spending $612 on average this year, up from $513 last year. This means that total holiday spending is expected to rise to $1,252, on average, among gift-givers this year, up from $1,137 last year.
Friday, November 18, 2011
Halifax, NS—A new poll conducted by global research company Ipsos for the Halifax International Security Forum finds that eight in ten citizens in 24 countries ‘agree’ (strongly and somewhat) their country should help parts of the world experiencing natural disasters or famines (82%) and support economic sanctions against other countries that behave badly or treat their own people badly (77%).
Friday, November 18, 2011
New York, NY – Thinking about the last time that they bought a car, one in four women (26%)to say that was most missing was a quick and effortless transaction, according to a new survey of over 500 women conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs on behalf of CarMax. This mirrors findings from a similar study conducted in 2009, when 25% of women felt that a quick and easy transaction was what was most missing from their purchase experience.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Toronto, ON - The American holiday shopping season kicks off at the end of next week with Black Friday, when traditionally American retailers typically offer deep discounts to shoppers, followed by Cyber Monday which is one of the biggest online shopping days of the year. Among the 54% of online Canadians who have made an online purchase at a Canadian or American retailer in the past twelve months, one in three (34%) say that they’re ‘likely’ (7% very/27% somewhat) to shop online at American retailers on Black Friday or Cyber Monday. This represents an increase of six percentage points over last year.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Toronto, ON - Although largely an American phenomenon, Cyber Monday is heading into the mainstream in Canada, as a majority (52%) of Canadians appear to be familiar with the heavily-discounted online shopping event, according to an online Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of PayPal.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Toronto, ON – Three quarters (72%) of Canadians who own a house and have a mortgage say that they expect to have their mortgage fully paid off by the time they reach the age of 65, according to a new Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of Royal Bank. Interestingly, younger mortgage-holders aged 18 to 34 are much more likely to think they’ll have their mortgage paid off at an early age with three quarters (73%) expecting to have their mortgage eliminate by the age of 55, compared to fewer than half (45%) of mortgage-holders who are aged 35 to 54.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
New York, NY – Adults are more likely to be scaling back their holiday shopping budgets rather than expanding them, according to a new Ipsos poll conducted on behalf of RetailMeNot.com. Just one in ten adults (11%) plan on spending more this holiday shopping season compared to last year, while 37% say that they expect to spend less. A majority (51%) expect to spend about the same as last year.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Toronto, ON – Nine in ten (90%) Canadians say that if they were to experience a major health event such as a heart attack or cancer, or a chronic health condition such as diabetes or arthritis, they would expect their personal financial situation to be impacted, according to the second annual Sun Life Financial Health Index™ conducted by Ipsos Reid. In fact, a majority (53%) believe that impact would be ‘big, perhaps permanent’, while four in ten (38%) think it would be a ‘manageable, temporary impact’. Just one in ten (10%) believe there would be no impact at all to their financial situation.
Thursday, November 03, 2011
Toronto, ON – As the Canadian government meets with other G-20 members at a summit in Cannes, France, a new Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of World Vision reveals that eight in ten (77%) ‘agree’ (33% strongly/44% somewhat) that Canada should ‘commit to give additional funding for food security programs’. Just one quarter (23%) ‘disagree’ (7% strongly/15% somewhat) that the government should make this sort of commitment.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Montréal, QC – Selon les résultats d’un sondage qui viennent d’être publiés par Ipsos Reid pour le compte de la Standard Life, une majorité de Canadiens ne connaît pas les placements socialement responsables (PSR). Ceux qui les connaissent et qui s’y intéressent ont habituellement demandé de façon proactive des renseignements à ce sujet aux conseillers qui, eux-mêmes, ont des connaissances limitées de cette catégorie de placements.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Montreal, QC – Newly released research conducted by Ipsos Reid on behalf of Standard Life reveals that a majority of Canadians are largely unaware of the Socially Responsible Investment (SRI) vehicle category, and that those who are aware and interested in them typically have to make proactive enquiries from Advisors, who themselves have only limited awareness and knowledge of the category.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Toronto, ON – Rocky markets, a sputtering economy and Euro-zone worries appear to have shaken Canadian economic confidence, according to the newly-released RBC Canadian Consumer Outlook Index conducted by Ipsos Reid. In the span of one quarter, the overall index has dropped to 70 points when compared to its benchmark of 100 points established in November of 2009. This represents a drop of 24 points since the last quarter, and by far the largest quarterly movement in the index since its inception. The drop of the overall index is a function of volatility within these three sub-indices:
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Toronto, ON – Ontarians continue to be confused about what transactions are subject to HST and which are exempt as six in ten (58%) believe that the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) is applied to the purchase price of a resale home in Ontario, according to a new Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of the Ontario Real Estate Association.
Monday, October 24, 2011
Toronto, ON – Following the economic crunch that began in the fall of 2008, Canadians have felt more positive about giving to charitable organizations, but that is a feeling that may not last. This is the key finding of a study conducted by Ipsos Reid on Canadians and their charitable habits. Comparing a similar 2009 study to the recent 2011 study, Ipsos found that 69% of Canadians have made a financial donation to a charitable organization in the past year. That’s up from 65% in 2009. But their generosity for the future hinges on the economic prospects of the country going forward.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Toronto, ON – Canadian entrepreneurs apparently have lots of advice to give others who are trying to grow their business. According to a new Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of RBC, when considering what three pieces of advice to dish out, nearly half (44%) would suggest to other small business owners to develop an effective business plan, while a similar proportion (43%) would advise other small business owners to manage their time well. Four in ten (38%) say they must network in order to grow.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
New York, N.Y. – The latest online shopping poll conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs on behalf of Offers.com shows that given the current state of the economy, nearly half of U.S adults (45%) plan to spend less this coming holiday season than they did last year. Yet many adults are not taking advantage of online coupons that could help stretch their holiday dollars, with less than half (48%) saying that they are likely to look for online coupons or coupon codes before making a (holiday) purchase.
Thursday, October 06, 2011
New York, NY — While the news has been dominated by the European debt crisis, worries about jobs are what weighs most on U.S. consumer sentiment, according to the latest RBC Consumer Outlook Index. Amid concerns about job security, consumer confidence remained nearly flat for October, the third consecutive month with little change. The RBC Consumer Outlook Index dipped to 39.2, down one point from last month. Consumer confidence is below the level of a year ago (41.0) and also below the average level during the recession (40.2).
Monday, October 03, 2011
New York, NY – Nine in ten (89%) parents of children aged 5 to 17, with household income between $15K and $75K, believe that they are a very important resource when it comes to teaching children about basic money management, but most are not having regularly, weekly discussions with their children on the subject, according to a new Ipsos poll conducted on
behalf of BMO Harris Bank. This is particularly troubling considering nine in ten (90%) agree (51% strongly/39% somewhat) that they are concerned about the younger generation’s ability to manage money, and two in three (67%) agree (30% strongly/37% somewhat) that they’re concerned with their child’s ability to manage money.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Atlanta, GA - A new Ipsos survey released today from Randstad finds a majority of U.S. employees are highly engaged and happy in their jobs – despite predictions that many workers will seek new jobs once the job market strengthens. More than three quarters (78 percent) report feeling inspired to do their best at work; 76 percent are proud to work for their companies and 66 percent enjoy going to work every day. Likewise, employee volatility is decreasing with 60 percent of respondents reporting they are unlikely to give consideration to or accept a new job offer in the next six months.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Toronto, ON – A majority (58%) of Canadians say that they’re ‘happy’ (20% very/39% somewhat) about their debt situation, according to a new Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of RBC. Furthermore, most (68%) Canadians are either ‘comfortable’ (19% very/26% somewhat) with the level of debt that they carry, or have no personal debt at all (22%).
Wednesday, September 07, 2011
Calgary, AB – Recent polling conducted by Ipsos Reid indicates that Albertans remain firmly in support of the development of new electricity transmission lines in the province.
Monday, September 05, 2011
Vancouver, BC – This report presents the findings of an Ipsos Reid online poll conducted on behalf of The Federation of Post-Secondary Educators of BC (FPSE).
Thursday, September 01, 2011
New York, NY - The volatility in the stock market during the past month has had little impact on consumers' investment patterns, but could potentially change consumers' spending habits, according to the September RBC Consumer Outlook Index. Among those who say they own stocks, bonds or mutual funds, 77 per cent say they have made no changes to their holdings. Only a minority has acted, divided evenly between those adding to their holdings (11 per cent) and those selling assets (10 per cent), with only two per cent of respondents selling all holdings. One-in-four Americans (26 per cent) plans to reduce spending as a result of market volatility, while 69 per cent say that it has had no impact.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Toronto, ON – More Canadian parents of school-aged children are budgeting for their back-to-school spending this year than last year, according to a new Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of RBC. One in three (34%) parents say they’ve set a budget for their back-to-school spending this year, compared to just 29% who report that they set a budget last year.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Synovate was acquired by Ipsos in October 2011. The research discussed in this press release was conducted prior to the acquisition, using Synovate’s research policies and methodologies.
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Toronto, ON – Nearly one half (48%) of Canadians aged 45 to 60 do not feel they’re ‘on the right financial track for a satisfactory retirement’, according to a new Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of HomEquity Bank. Just a slim majority (52%) do feel like they’re on the right track. Interestingly, those who are already retired are much more likely (79%) to feel that they’re on the right financial track compared to just 48% of those who are not yet retired. Further, those aged 55 to 60 are much more inclined (60%) to say that they’re on the right financial track than those aged 50 to 54 (51%) or 45 to 49 (44%).
Thursday, August 04, 2011
New York, NY - Although Congress and President Obama have agreed to raise the debt ceiling, a majority of Americans say that the debate has made them less confident in the nation's economic recovery. More than half (54 per cent) of Americans surveyed say that the debt ceiling debate has made them feel less confident in the economy, and 42 per cent say that it has made them less confident in their own finances and investments, according to the August RBC Consumer Outlook Index. The RBC survey was completed immediately before the resolution of the debt ceiling negotiations.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Toronto, ON – Rising gas and food prices across Canada are hitting Canadian households hard, according to this quarter’s instalment of the RBC Canadian Consumer Outlook index conducted by Ipsos Reid. The overall index, a compilation of 34 economy-related questions, has dropped two points and now sits at 94 points, down 2 points since last quarter and still well off the benchmark of 100 points set in November, 2009. The CCO is also comprised of three sub-indices:
Thursday, July 07, 2011
New York, NY — After improving last month to its highest level since the beginning of the financial crisis in 2008, U.S. consumer confidence resumed its roller-coaster ride and sagged in July, as measured by the RBC Consumer Outlook Index. According to the Index, consumer confidence declined to 43.7 for July, down 3.0 points from the 46.7 reading in June.
Thursday, June 02, 2011
New York, NY - Buoyed by a pause in the increase of gas prices and a sense that the job market is improving, U.S. consumer confidence has hit its highest level since the beginning of the financial crisis in September 2008. As measured by the RBC Consumer Outlook Index, consumer confidence rose to 46.7 for June, up 3.8 points from May's 42.9 reading.
Wednesday, June 01, 2011
New York, NY – One third of full-time employees (33%) consider themselves to be overqualified for their job, while only 3% feel they are under qualified, according to a new Ipsos Public Affairs-Randstad survey of over 1,000 employed U.S. adults. The vast majority (65%) view themselves as neither over- nor under qualified.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Toronto, ON – By a two to one margin over its nearest competitor, redeeming travel points for flights is the most popular type of travel reward among Canadians who hold a travel reward credit card, according to a new Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of RBC. Six in ten (57%) cardholders say they redeemed points for flights in the last three years, well ahead of the proportion that redeemed points for merchandise (30%), gift cards (27%), hotels, rental car or other travel-related rewards (22%), financial rewards (4%), or some other (3%) type of reward. Fifteen percent (15%) say they haven’t redeemed any of their points in the last three years.
Monday, May 30, 2011
Synovate was acquired by Ipsos in October 2011. The research discussed in this press release was conducted prior to the acquisition, using Synovate’s research policies and methodologies.
Friday, May 27, 2011
Vancouver, BC – A new Ipsos Reid poll in British Columbia shows that for the first time there is a real possibility that the HST could survive the upcoming referendum. Six-in-ten British Columbians say they approve of the changes announced by the provincial government. Referendum voting intentions are now equally divided between keeping the HST and scrapping the HST.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
New York, NY – A vast majority of women (88 percent) reported feeling good when they help those who are less fortunate, according to a recent Ipsos poll conducted on behalf of GIVE HEALTH, a Procter & Gamble program. These respondents, however, want a convenient method of donating.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Toronto, ON – Nine in ten (90%) Canadians aged 50+ who have not yet retired expect to have a ‘successful retirement’, according to a new Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of RBC, but nearly four in ten (36%) say they’re ‘worried’ that they will not have enough money to live well and do what they want. In fact, 15% would go so far as to say they’re ‘frightened’ about the time ahead of them.
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Toronto, On - These are some of the findings of an Ipsos Reid study conducted on behalf of the Corporate Executive Board. The full presentation and detailed tables are available on the right.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Toronto, ON – Just three in ten (28%) Canadians ‘strongly agree’ that ‘their math and money-management skills will help them plan for a secure financial future, leaving most (72%) Canadians not fully confident, according to a new Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of ABC Life Literacy Canada. In fact, while 51% only ‘somewhat agree’ with this sentiment, two in ten (21%) outright ‘disagree’ (4% strongly/17% somewhat). According to the research, those with less education are less confident that their skills will help them plan for a secure financial future.
Thursday, May 05, 2011
New York, NY — With the summer vacation season fast approaching, almost half of Americans (47 per cent) say they have already cut back or cancelled vacation plans due to high gas prices and 20 per cent have scaled back their plans because of high air fares, according to this month's RBC Consumer Outlook Index. The Index for May fell to 42.9, down 1.9 points from April's 44.8 reading.
Wednesday, May 04, 2011
Toronto, On - These are some of the findings of an Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of the Toronto Real Estate Board. The full presentation and detailed tables are available on the right.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Toronto, ON – Seven in ten (70%) Ontarians who currently rent their home say that owning a home is in their plan, according to a new Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of the Ontario Real Estate Association. In fact, 12% say it’s their plan to purchase in the next two years, while others say within the next five years (19%), within the next ten years (12%), or at some point down the road (28%). Just three in ten (30%) renters say that they never plan on owning a home.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Toronto, ON – The best laid plans are not going as expected for many Canadians approaching retirement, according to a new Ipsos Reid poll of Canadians aged 50 and older (with household assets of over $100,000) conducted on behalf of RBC. While most (83%) pre-retirees believe they will be retiring at a time of their choosing – either because they are ready to retire (72%) or because they will have saved enough money to retire (25%), nearly half (41%) of Canadians who are currently retired say that the choice was made for them, with the primary reasons including leaving at their employer’s request (18%), health reasons (14%), reaching mandatory retirement age (6%), leaving to care for a loved one (3%) or some other reason (9%).
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Toronto, ON – One half (48%) of Canadians make an annual habit of spring cleaning (with another 30% doing it almost every year), and as the weather improves and Canadian turn to the task of getting rid unwanted items through spring cleaning, two in ten (18%) Canadians say that they get rid of unwanted items by selling them online, according to a new Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of Kijiji. Those who sell their items online report earning $421, on average, in 2010.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
New York, NY – A new Ipsos Public Affairs survey conducted on behalf of Kenexa among over one thousand U.S. working adults found that majority of them believe they are paid fairly (60%), while just over one third feel they are underpaid (37%). Just 2% report that they are overpaid, while additional fractions reported that they were not sure (1%) or preferred not to answer (1%).
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Toronto, ON – Nearly one half (45%) of Canadians say that rising gas and food prices are having a ‘significant impact’ on their day-to-day budget, according to the quarterly RBC Canadian Consumer Outlook index conducted by Ipsos Reid. Further, four in ten (38%) say that it hasn’t had a big impact but they’re cutting back on other expenses, while two in ten (17%) indicate that rising prices have not had any impact on their day-to-day budget.
Thursday, April 07, 2011
Washington, D.C. - Although another budget deadline looms on Friday, nearly three-quarters of America's financial leaders forecast that the federal government will remain open, according to an exclusive new survey of financial executives by SmartBrief and the international polling and research firm Ipsos. "Our readers who work in various aspects of finance are uniquely positioned to answer questions such as this one about the state and the likely direction of the U.S. economy” noted John Walcott, SmartBrief's chief content officer and editor-in-chief. “We're delighted to be able to tap the experience and the expertise of Ipsos to help ask the right questions and analyze their responses."
Thursday, April 07, 2011
Toronto, ON – Assessing the current condition of the economy and given current housing prices, a majority (55%) of Canadians aged 18 to 34 believe it makes more sense to wait until next year to buy a home (10 points higher than the national average), rather than buy a home now (45%), according to the 18th annual RBC Housing Study conducted by Ipsos Reid. Nonetheless, four in ten (41%) younger Canadians believe the real-estate market is a ‘buyer’s market’ (41%), one quarter (24%) think it’s a ‘seller’s market’. One in three (36%) think it’s a ‘balanced market’.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
New York, NY - Half of U.S. consumers (49 per cent) think that it has become more difficult to find a job compared to a year ago, while just 14 per cent think it has become easier and a third (37 per cent) believe conditions are about the same, according to this month's RBC Consumer Outlook Index. The results are based on a survey of more than 1,000 Americans.
Wednesday, March 09, 2011
Toronto, ON – Canadians continue to believe in the value of home ownership, according to the results of the 18th annual RBC Housing Poll, conducted by Ipsos Reid. Most (90%) Canadians ‘agree’ (32% strongly/58% somewhat) that ‘real estate in Canada is good long-term investment’. Only one in ten (10%) ‘disagree’ (2% strongly, 8% somewhat) that it’s a good long-term investment.
Tuesday, March 08, 2011
Toronto, ON – The results of the third annual Sun Life Canadian Unretirement™ Index survey conducted by Ipsos Reid for Sun Life Financial of Canada show a stark bottom line for many working adult Canadians aged 30+ against the backdrop of a recent recession which continues to take its toll on individuals.
Tuesday, March 08, 2011
Toronto, ON – The results of the third annual Sun Life Canadian Unretirement™ Index survey conducted by Ipsos Reid for Sun Life Financial of Canada show a stark bottom line for many working adult Canadians aged 30+ against the backdrop of a recent recession which continues to take its toll on individuals.
Tuesday, March 08, 2011
Toronto, ON – The results of the third annual Sun Life Canadian Unretirement™ Index survey conducted by Ipsos Reid for Sun Life Financial of Canada show a stark bottom line for many working adult Canadians aged 30+ against the backdrop of a recent recession which continues to take its toll on individuals.
Friday, March 04, 2011
New York, NY - One-in-three U.S. consumers (32 per cent) has already significantly reduced discretionary spending because of the increase of rising gas prices, according to the monthly RBC Consumer Outlook Index. With the national average price at approximately $3.20 per gallon at the time this survey was conducted (February 25-28, 2011) another one-in-five (18 per cent) say they would reduce spending if gas prices climb to $3.75 per gallon. Four-in-10 (41 per cent) place their pain threshold at $4.00 per gallon or more.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Toronto, ON – Most Canadians are avoiding behaviour which could leave them vulnerable to falling victim to payment card fraud. In fact, according to a new Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of Visa Canada, six in ten (60%) credit or debit card users say they haven’t done any of the risky behaviours studied in the poll. However, small percentages of users admit to doing at least one of the following:
Monday, February 14, 2011
Toronto, ON – Canadian men and women are not on the same page when it comes to investing, according to the annual RBC RRSP poll conducted by Ipsos Reid. The data reveal that significant differences exist in the way men and women save and invest their money, where they choose to invest and how much they invest.
Tuesday, February 08, 2011
Toronto, ON – Canadians are less optimistic than they were a year ago about the future of the Canadian economy, according to the RBC Canadian Consumer Outlook Index conducted by Ipsos Reid. The poll of 3,533 Canadians across the country has revealed that just four in ten (43%) believe that the Canadian economy will improve over the next year, a sharp decline from the majority (56%) of Canadians who, in January of 2010, thought that the economy would improve. Those living in Alberta (61%) are by far the most likely to believe that the national economy will improve in 2011, while only a minority of those living in Saskatchewan and Manitoba (49%), British Columbia (46%), Atlantic Canada (44%), Ontario (42%) and Quebec (32%) believe the same.
Thursday, February 03, 2011
New York, NY - U.S. consumer confidence for February declined slightly for a second month as consumers await a definitive signal on the direction of the economy, according to the monthly RBC Consumer Outlook Index. The Index for February declined to 44.5, down 0.4 points from January's 44.9 but still above the 42.6 points recorded a year ago. In line with the volatility in the municipal bond market, the survey also found that a majority of Americans are not confident in municipal bonds as an investment.
Monday, January 31, 2011
New York, NY – Two thirds (64%) of volunteer firefighters report that their department does not have sufficient funds to sustain all areas in which it operates, according to a recent Ipsos poll conducted on behalf of Duracell, a leading manufacturer of high-performing alkaline batteries. The situation seems particularly critical in the South, where 70% of volunteer firefighters believe their departments do not receive enough funds. In addition, the survey shows that fire chiefs, are also more likely than other volunteer firefighters to believe their department is underfunded (80%).
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Toronto, ON – Nearly one half (45%) of young adults aged 18 to 34 have not yet started saving for retirement, according to the 21st annual RBC RRSP poll conducted by Ipsos Reid. Moreover, just four in ten (39%) young adults have an RRSP, a five-point drop from last year’s poll and the lowest figure in nearly a decade. By comparison, seven in ten (70%) Canadians aged 35 to 54 have an RRSP, a thirteen-point increase over last year.
Thursday, January 06, 2011
New York, NY - Raising hopes for higher consumer spending over the course of 2011, nearly three-quarters of Americans (74 per cent) plan to spend at least some of the extra money they will receive through the one-year Social Security payroll-tax reduction that became effective January 1, 2011, including 42 per cent who expect to spend all or most of it, according to the monthly RBC Consumer Outlook Index. Only one-in-four Americans (26 per cent) said they plan to save all of their extra take-home pay from the tax cut.
Wednesday, January 05, 2011
Montreal, QC – Newly released research conducted by Ipsos Reid on behalf of Standard Life reveals that Canadians with employer-sponsored retirement plans generally make little use of the financial statements they receive that report upon the status of their portfolio, and that a significant proportion are out of touch in terms of their projected retirement income and their current position versus same.
Wednesday, January 05, 2011
Montréal, QC – D’après un nouveau sondage Ipsos Reid mené pour le compte de Standard Life, les Canadiens profitant d’un régime de retraite par le biais de leur employeur ne se servent généralement que peu des relevés rapportant l’état financier de leur portefeuille. Une proportion significative d’entre eux n’a même aucune idée du montant projeté de leur revenu de retraite, ni d’où ils se situent par rapport à celui-ci.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
New York, NY – Though the U.S. is still facing tough economic times, six in ten adults (58%) say that they have already donated to their favorite charity this year, according to a new survey of over 1,000 adults conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs on behalf of Purina One.
Monday, December 20, 2010
Toronto, ON – An equal proportion of Canadians say they were impacted by the slow economic recovery in 2010 as were impacted by the economic recession in 2009, according to a new Ipsos Reid poll conducted exclusively for Postmedia News and Global Television. These data suggest that Canadians are still feeling the impact of the recession that began roughly two years ago, and the official end of the recession hasn’t made much difference to its impact on the average Canadian.
Friday, December 17, 2010
New York, NY – American teens are still flocking to the malls for holiday shopping despite most (61%) teens confessing to using the internet several times a day, according to a new Ipsos Public Affairs poll conducted via its newly formed teen omnibus.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Toronto, ON – The first of Canada’s Baby Boomers are turning 65 years old this upcoming year but one quarter (23%) are concerned about having enough savings according to a new poll conducted by Ipsos Reid on behalf of RBC in the 21st Annual RRSP Survey. The average age at which this group started saving for retirement was 35. Boomers are twice as likely (42%) to have a formal written financial plan as Canadians in the general adult population (19%) and seven-in-10 (71%) of those who had created a financial plan say they are better off financially because of it. Six-in-10 (60%) of boomers worry (11% a lot/49% a little) about balancing saving for immediate priorities versus putting money away for the longer term or for their retirement.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Vancouver, BC – In a poll taken early in December, Ipsos Loyalty found that this Christmas season may be more trying for retailers in Canada. Canadians not only expect to spend less than last year this Christmas season, but the notion of loyalty to big box department stores is also laid bare.
Thursday, December 09, 2010
Toronto, ON – Consumers have more ways to pay than ever before, but how are they paying for their purchases? A new study from Ipsos looks into the subject. The Ipsos Payment Methods Report is the result of a groundbreaking study exploring the factors and drivers influencing payment method choice, preferences exhibited by different market segments, and loyalty to card brands and issuers.
Tuesday, December 07, 2010
Toronto, ON – Nearly one quarter of (22%) Canadians say that their first job was in the restaurant or food service industry, according to a new poll conducted by Ipsos Reid on behalf of Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association. The second most-commonly cited first-job experience among Canadians was in the retail industry (16%), followed by manufacturing (11%), newspaper delivery (8%), general business (6%), agriculture and the agri-food industry (6%), government (5%), construction (5%), banking, education and healthcare (all at 3%), computer (2%), telemarketing (1%) or transportation (1%). One percent (1%) of Canadians were self-employed while 9% had another type of job.
Tuesday, December 07, 2010
New York, NY – Two in three Americans (68%) say that one of the ways they are adjusting to the new economic conditions in the United States is by purchasing fewer holidays gifts for friends and family, according to a new Ipsos poll conducted on behalf of Strayer University.
Monday, December 06, 2010
Toronto, ON – A new poll conducted for CIBC by Ipsos Reid has found that compared to last season 42% of Canadians are planning to pay more attention to sticking to their holiday spending budget, 40% to pay about the same attention and 17% are “not even worrying about it”.
Thursday, December 02, 2010
New York, NY - Registering the highest reading since September 2008, the RBC Consumer Outlook Index increased 3.2 points to 45.2 in December (42.0 in November) as a result of improved current conditions, employment security, expectations and investment attitudes. Consumer confidence has been on the rise for three months in a row and has broken through the top of the recent range. However, despite the recent improvements in consumer sentiment, the RBC index remains well below its long-term average of 50 points and continues to reflect a very modest economic recovery.
Wednesday, December 01, 2010
Toronto, ON – Canadians don’t know when they’ve been had, as eight in ten (78%) admit they don’t know how to tell if they’ve purchased a counterfeit item, according to a new Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of Microsoft. Just two in ten (22%) say they know how to tell if they’ve purchased such an item. Men (25%) are more likely than women (18%) to say they know how to spot a fake, as are younger adults (30%) when compared to middle-aged (22%) or older (14%) Canadians. Most (68%) Canadians recognize that the counterfeit-goods market is a billion-dollar industry worldwide.
Wednesday, December 01, 2010
Toronto, ON – A new study conducted for Sun Life Financial by Ipsos Reid has found that while three quarters (76%) of Canadians believe that their personal behaviour and habits is the top factor in influencing their personal health, almost two-thirds (61%) cite a lack of willpower and motivation to engage in healthy behaviours
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Toronto, ON – Finding the perfect holiday gifts for family and friends can cost a lot of money and aggravation, but it can also be incredibly time-consuming, according to a new Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of PayPal. According to the poll, it takes the average Canadian 11 hours and five trips to the mall/stores to complete their holiday shopping.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Vancouver, BC - The holiday season is upon us once more. To find out how British Columbians are shopping this holiday season, Ipsos Reid launched a study examining the purchasing behaviour of adult British Columbians in 2010.
Monday, November 22, 2010
Toronto, ON – Over a quarter (28%) of Canadians say they are likely to shop at American online retailers on Black Friday to take advantage of shopping deals, up 5% from last year according to a new poll by Ipsos Reid conducted on behalf of Visa. One third (35%) of Canadian online shoppers plan to spend more this year on online shopping compared to last year, from $226 in 2009 to $242 this year. Interestingly, men expect to spend $251, slightly more than women, at $233.
Monday, November 22, 2010
New York, NY – Over a quarter of working adults (27%) plan to do some holiday shopping while on the job this year, according to a new Ipsos Public Affairs-Randstad survey of over 1,000 employed U.S. adults. At the same time, one in three employed adults (32%) say that that shopping online is the biggest mistake one can make at work over the holidays.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Toronto, ON – Looking for a new job may not mean looking very far, as nine in ten (90%) Canadians ‘agree’ (56% strongly/34% somewhat) that they would rather not have to relocate for a job, according to a new poll conducted by Ipsos Reid on behalf of Microsoft. In a similar vein, most (83%) ‘agree’ (28% strongly/55% somewhat) that they feel bound by geography when looking for employment. Additionally, eight in ten (84%) ‘agree’ (28% strongly/56% somewhat) that ‘Canadians feel that location can be a barrier from securing the best jobs’.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
New York, N.Y. – The latest online shopping poll conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs on behalf of Offers.com shows that among online shoppers, 63% search for online coupons or deals when they purchase something on the internet. This proportion includes 21% who do so regularly (9% report always searching for coupons, and 12% who do so most of the time.) In addition to 42% who do so sporadically (20% who do so sometimes and 22% once in a while). In contrast, 37% of online shoppers report that they never search for online coupons or deals.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Toronto, ON – Canadians are continuing to curb their spending heading into the holiday season, according to a new Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of RBC. Of the eight in ten (82%) Canadians who intend to give gifts this holiday season (18% of Canadians will not give gifts), the average amount of money intended to be spent on gifts averages $624, down significantly from the $728 that gift-giving Canadians intended to spend last year.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Toronto, ON – As Canada slowly works its way out of the recession, Canadians who own or lease vehicles are starting to think about their trade-in possibilities. A new Ipsos Reid poll, conducted on behalf of Canadian Black Book, has found that almost half (49%) ‘agree’ (20% strongly/29% somewhat) that they would like to get a new vehicle and one in ten (13%) ‘agree’ (3% strongly/9% somewhat) that they are planning to trade their vehicle before the end of this year. Canadians have shown their patience during the recession as four in ten (43%) Canadians, overall, ‘agree’ (16% strongly/28% somewhat) that the state of the economy has forced them to hold on to their current vehicle longer than they would like.
Thursday, November 04, 2010
New York, NY - In a reflection of continuing concern about the U.S. economy, 46 per cent of Americans plan to spend less this year than last on holiday shopping, and an additional eight per cent plan to spend nothing at all. Even half (50 per cent) of families with children at home plan to spend less, with an additional six per cent of these families planning to spend nothing at all, according to data from the monthly RBC Consumer Outlook Index. In a worrisome sign for retailers, just seven per cent of Americans overall, and nine per cent of families with children, expect to spend more this holiday season than last.
Wednesday, November 03, 2010
Vancouver, BC – In June 2010, with just a week to go before the introduction of the harmonized sales tax (HST) in British Columbia, the vast majority of the province’s consumers claimed that the HST would negatively impact them and their spending would be reduced significantly as a direct result of the new tax . But do customers continue to feel the same way about the new tax? To find out, Ipsos Reid launched a Post-HST Study to examine the behaviours of adult British Columbians four months after the new tax became effective.
Monday, November 01, 2010
Toronto, ON – As the holiday season slowly approaches, Canadians are beginning to think about gift giving and receiving but fewer than half say they actually enjoy buying gifts for family and friends according to a new poll conducted by Ipsos Reid on behalf of Future Shop. Two in five (44%) Canadians say they ‘sometimes like the process of buying gifts, but sometimes it can be difficult and stressful’ while 9% ‘hardly ever enjoy buying gifts for family or friends’ as it is usually difficult and stressful.
Friday, October 29, 2010
New York, N.Y. – Over one in three (37%) online shoppers are planning to shop on Black Friday, according to a new Ipsos Public Affairs telephone survey conducted on behalf of Offers.com. Among them, half (18% among all online shoppers), plan to do at least part of their shopping online; including 10% who plan to shop both online and in stores and 8% who plan to shop primarily online. Six in ten (60%) are not planning to shop on Black Friday, and 19% plan to shop primarily in stores.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Toronto, ON – The introduction of the Harmonized Sales Tax has been widely unpopular throughout the province and has affected the cost of a range of goods and services. One such issue has been whether the price of a resale home that has been previously occupied, as opposed to a newly constructed home, has been affected by the HST. When asked whether the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) apply to the purchase price of a resale home, over half (56%) of Ontarians said ‘yes’ according to a new poll conducted by Ipsos Reid on behalf of the Ontario Real Estate Association. An equal of proportion of men and women (56%) think the HST applies to the purchase price of a resale home. The majority (55%) of Ontarians between the ages of 18-34 as well as 35-54 agree, as do almost six in ten (59%) of those 55 and over. Seven in ten (71%) of residents in Northern Ontario say ‘yes’ too, as do 59% of those in the South West and East, 54% in the Greater Toronto Area and just half (51%) of those in Central Ontario. Ontarians with kids are more likely to believe the HST applies to the purchase price of a resale home compared to 56% of those without kids in their household.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Toronto, ON – Likely having taken advantage of the now defunct home-renovation tax credit, two-thirds (66%) of Canadian homeowners have renovated in the past two years according to a new poll conducted by Ipsos Reid on behalf of RBC. Canadians’ plans to renovate have slipped in the past year though. Last year, renovation intentions for the subsequent two years stood at 66% whereas this year slightly fewer (62%) Canadian homeowners plan to renovate in the next two years.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Toronto, ON – Eight-in-ten (81%) Canadian investors use their online brokerage account for long-term investment goals according to a new poll conducted by Ipsos Reid on behalf of RBC Direct Investing. Only one-in-ten (11%) use their online brokerage accounts just for short-term profits.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Toronto, ON – As the economic downturn comes to an end, the majority (56%) of Canadian entrepreneurs say the recent recession had either no impact or a positive impact on their business, whereas over one third (36%) felt a negative impact on their business according to a new poll conducted by Ipsos Reid on behalf of RBC. Almost one in ten (8%) small business owners were unsure. Of the one-third of small business owners that experienced a negative impact as a result of the recession, three-quarters (72%) said their sales revenues decreased and over half (54%) had fewer business opportunities.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Toronto, ON – One half (50%) of Canadians think that they will have enough money to meet their retirement needs (10% definitely/40% probably) according to a new poll conducted by Ipsos Reid on behalf of the Canadians Securities Administrators. Canadians who currently have investments are twice as likely (62%), than those who currently do not (31%) to think that they will have enough money set aside. On the other hand, 34% of Canadians overall think they will probably not have enough money to meet their retirement needs while 16% say they will definitely not have enough.
Friday, October 08, 2010
New York, NY — Although Americans' attitudes about the economy, home prices, the stock market and the value of their investments have improved, many are less optimistic about the future direction of the nation today compared to this time in 2009, according to the monthly RBC Consumer Outlook Index. Fewer consumers (37 per cent) think the U.S. is currently on the right track compared to those polled a year ago (41 per cent).
Wednesday, October 06, 2010
New York, NY – Three quarters of U.S. adults surveyed by Ipsos Public Affairs on behalf of ING (75%) report that they access financial accounts online. Seventy percent of the more than 1,000 Americans surveyed go online to consult a savings or checking account and half (50%) access a credit card account online. In addition, 24% go online to access a 401k or retirement savings account, 17% an investment or brokerage account, and 5% annuities.
Tuesday, October 05, 2010
Toronto, ON - According to the most recent Ipsos Reid Build A Better Workplace poll conducted in September of 2010, more than a quarter of employees (27%) stated they were likely to seek a new position during the next six months. Among employees who work for organizations where there has been a wage freeze, this figure jumped to 34%.
Monday, October 04, 2010
New York, NY – Two thirds of working adults (66%) believe that company culture is very or extremely important to the success of their organization, including 29% who find it extremely important according to a new Ipsos Public Affairs-Randstad survey of over 1,000 employed U.S. adults. Attitudes vary across age however, with adults under 35 being more likely than those who are older to find it important (72% vs. 63%). Others who also tend to find it to be more important include college graduates (76%), employees at companies with over 100 employees (72%), and those with a household income of $50,000 or more (69%).
Friday, October 01, 2010
Toronto, ON – Canadian economic confidence has dropped in the last three months amid uncertainty over the tenuous economic recovery according to the quarterly RBC Canadian Consumer Outlook Index conducted by Ipsos Reid. The overall index, benchmarked at 100 in November, 2009, has dropped 14 points since June and now sits at 94 points – the first time in nearly a year that the index has dropped below its baseline, highlighting the precarious economic recovery in which Canadians find themselves.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
New York, NY – Nearly half of adults aged 30 and older (46%) have changed the way they handle financial planning as a result of the ongoing economic downturn, according to a new survey of over 1,000 U.S. adults conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs on behalf of New York Life. Actions taken in reaction to the “Great Recession” include starting to save a greater percentage of their monthly income (22%), taking new steps to protect their assets (19%), considering the financial strength and/or reputation of companies before engaging with them financially (14%), consulting a financial professional about long-term financial objectives and needs (14%), and increasing funding of their retirement nest egg (13%). However, 54% of adults 30 and older say that they have not taken any of these actions since the start of the economic downturn in 2008.