Taylor Swift performs at Wembley Stadium as part of her Eras Tour June 21, in London.Scott A Garfitt/The Associated Press
Welcome to The Globe and Mail’s business and investing news quiz. Join us each week to test your knowledge of the stories making the headlines. Our business reporters come up with the questions, and you can show us what you know.
This week: In a bit of good news, nine wealthy families and foundations teamed up to make the Canada’s largest-ever philanthropic commitment to fight climate change, pledging $405-million over the next decade. The total commitment includes contributions from the Trottier Family Foundation, the Peter Gilgan Foundation, the Ronald S. Roadburg Foundation, the Chisholm Thomson Family Foundation, David Keith and Kirsten Anderson, the Sitka Foundation, the Vohra Miller Foundation and Allan Shiff.
And speaking of rich people, a certain pop star began the Canadian leg of her world tour. While Taylor Swift crossed into the country effortlessly, there are growing concerns of friction at the border once Donald Trump becomes U.S. president. All and all, a big week for millionaires, billionaires and their ilk.
c. US$1.6-billion. Ms. Swift is worth US$1.6-billion, according to Time magazine. And you know what? That seems fair. Her six shows in Toronto are expected to draw as many as 500,000 visitors to the city.
c. Ontario Premier Doug Ford. Mr. Ford accused Mexico of being a “backdoor” for cheap Chinese imports and suggested the Latin American country be denied tariff-free access to Canada and the United States unless it matches Canadian and U.S. tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, steel and aluminum.
d. Shopify. The Ottawa-based e-commerce company beat analysts’ expectations for third-quarter earnings and projected even better things ahead. Shopify shares are on a roll and have gained more than 50 per cent since the start of the year.
b. The entire leadership team of the province’s public-sector pension manager. Ms. Smith’s abrupt decision to fire the senior executives and entire board of Alberta Investment Management Corp. left many analysts gasping. The ostensible reason was a rise in costs at AIMCo, which invests retirement savings on behalf of the province’s police officers and teachers among others. However, some critics wonder whether the real purpose of the move is to use the fund’s $169-billion in assets to help fund the Premier’s favored projects.
a. 2017. The postal service last reported a profit in its 2017 fiscal year. Since 2018, it has been losing money and had a loss from operations of $490-million in the first half of 2024 alone.
c. RioCan Real Estate Investment Trust. RioCan said the cuts are part of a push toward greater efficiency, but companies in general are scaling back on residential construction. RioCan says it doesn’t plan to start any construction in the near term.
b. Ticked up slightly. Consumer prices in the United States in October stood 2.6 per cent higher than they did a year previous, according to the new numbers. That is slightly more than the 2.4-per-cent annual rate recorded in September and raises fears that inflation may not fade away as quietly as many hoped, especially if Mr. Trump adds even more economic stimulus.
d. Butter prices have rocketed 26 per cent in a year, prompting some Russian shops to store the golden delight in locked plastic boxes. The jump in butter prices is part of a general surge of inflation across the Russian economy. Economists say the inflation reflects staffing shortages and other strains caused by fighting the war Ukraine.
a. Mistakenly linking doll buyers to a porn website. Mattel said it deeply regretted an error on the packaging of its Wicked movie-themed dolls that mistakenly linked buyers to a pornographic website.
d. A rival bid. Japan’s Seven & i Holdings, owner of 7-Eleven, is weighing a takeover bid from a member of its founding Ito family. The bid is said to be worth around US$58-billion, considerably more than Couche-Tard’s US$47-billion offer, and is seen as an indication of how Japan’s corporate elite are closing ranks against foreign acquisitions of Japanese companies.
a. Hail a self-driving robotaxi. Waymo has opened its robotaxi service to anyone who wants a ride around Los Angeles. The company has offered a similar service in Phoenix since 2020, but its move into Los Angeles, the second-largest U.S. city, marks a significant step forward in the spread of self-driving technology.
b. Gold has been falling since the U.S. election on Nov. 5. Why? Mr. Trump’s promise to impose sweeping tariffs is likely to drive up the value of the U.S. dollar. That diminishes the appeal of gold. On the other hand, Tesla shares, bitcoin and private prison operators such as GEO Group have been soaring because they are all seen as winners from Mr. Trump’s promised policies.