CHHMA - EYE ON OUR INDUSTRY
Volume 11, Issue 16, April 28, 2011



Association News

Join Us in Las Vegas at Maple Leaf Night!  
     
If you are attending the National Hardware Show in Las Vegas (May 10-12), be sure to come out to Maple Leaf Night on Tuesday, May 10, 5:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m., at the Mirage Hotel & Casino.

This always popular social event is open to CHHMA members ($160 CDN, $200 CDN at the door) and Canadian retailers (complimentary). It is the ideal place to be to mix and mingle with your fellow Canadian colleagues and customers while enjoying cocktails and hors d’oeuvres.

Click here for further info or to register.  Hope to see you there!
  

Jean-Luc Meunier Breakfast Seminar on May 31, 2011

The CHHMA is pleased to be presenting Mr. Jean-Luc Meunier, Sr. Vice-President, Affiliate Dealer-Owner Network Development, RONA inc. at an upcoming breakfast seminar in Boucherville, Quebec on Tuesday, May 31.

The breakfast seminar will take place at the Hotel Mortagne, 1228 Rue Nobel, Boucherville, QC J4B 5H1 with registration starting at 7:30 a.m. followed by breakfast and the presentation from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.

The cost to attend is $65 for CHHMA members, $85 for non-members plus 5% taxes.

Click here for registration and further details. 
      

Register Now for the Quebec Golf Classic at Le Club de golf Le Fontainebleau
 
The 36th Annual CHHMA Quebec Golf Classic taking place at Le Club de golf Le Fontainebleau in Blainville, Quebec on Tuesday, May 17, 11:30 a.m. shotgun start.

The cost to attend is $300 for CHHMA members, $350 for non-members and includes brunch, golf, cart, dinner and wine plus there will be $10,000 worth of prizes and gifts. Hole sponsorships are available for $325 and tickets can also be purchased for dinner only at a cost of $110.

Registration for golf is restricted to 144 players, so click here to sign-up soon.  
       

Ontario Golf Tournament at Angus Glen on May 25  
  
The 42nd Annual CHHMA Ontario Golf Tournament is being held at the Angus Glen Golf Club in Markham, Ontario on Wednesday, May 25.

The South Course will be available for those wanting to play their own ball, the North Course for scramble teams.

The cost to attend is $245+HST for CHHMA members and includes breakfast, golf, followed by an executive lunch, awards and prizes. Each golfer will also receive a pair of golf shoes.

The shotgun starting time is 7:45 a.m. and registration and breakfast will start at 6:30 a.m.

Hole sponsorships are available for $150+HST. Proceeds from the tournament will help support the Ontario Special Olympics.

For further information or to register, click here.
    

Western Golf Tournament at Morgan Creek on June 7 

The 15th Annual CHHMA Western Golf Tournament is taking place on Tuesday, June 7 at the Morgan Creek Golf Club in Surrey, B.C.

Tee-off times will be allocated between 11:14 a.m. and 1:17 p.m., followed by dinner and award/prize presentations which will start at 6:30 p.m.

The cost to attend is $230+HST for CHHMA members, $255+HST for non-members and $80+HST for dinner only.

Hole sponsorship opportunities are available for $150+HST.

Money raised from the tournament will go towards the CHHMA Scholarship Program which awards scholarships each year to children of CHHMA member employees.

For further information or to register, click here.
       
Economic News

Consumer Confidence Rises in Canada

The Conference Board of Canada said on Wednesday that consumer confidence rose in April as more people felt ready to make a major purchase and their outlook on jobs improved. The board's consumer confidence index rose to 87.7 in April from 83.7 last month. Survey respondents were, on balance, more optimistic on their current finances, future finances, job creation and major purchases in April. "While all questions showed improvement, the driver behind the overall increase in consumer confidence was the sharp turnaround in attitudes toward major purchases (such as a new home, vehicle or large appliance)," the board said in the release. The survey also revealed regional disparities, with B.C. showing the most optimism. Ontario retained the lowest level of confidence even though the index rose there in April. Quebec was the only province to see a drop in confidence in the month.
        
Retail Sales Increase 0.4% in February 

Last Thursday, Statistics Canada reported that retail sales rose 0.4% in February from January to $37.3 billion, offsetting most of the decline in January. Retail sales were up 3.7% from February 2010. Excluding sales by motor vehicle and parts dealers and by gasoline stations, retail sales increased 1.4% from a year ago. 

February's slight increase follows two consecutive monthly declines after six straight months of gains. Higher sales were reported in 9 of 11 subsectors. Sales in volume terms increased 0.4% in February from January.

Sales in the building material and garden equipment and supplies dealers sector were up 0.2% from January but down 4.1% year-over-year, which was the largest decline amongst all the major retail sectors. Sales in the motor vehicle and parts dealer sector fell 0.6% from January but increased 3.1% from February 2010. Gasoline station sales rose 1.3% from January and increased 18.5% from a year ago. Food and beverage store sales advanced 0.3% and 1.7% year-over-year. General merchandise store sales were unchanged from January to February and were 3.1% higher than February 2010. Sales at furniture and home furnishing stores were up 2.1% from January and 1.9%from February 2010. Sales at electronics and appliance stores fell for a fourth month in a row, decreasing 0.6% from January, although, remain 0.3% higher than February 2010.  
       
Composite Leading Index Up 0.8% in March 

Statistics Canada's composite leading index rose 0.8% in March to 252.6, after a 1.1% gain in February. Eight of ten components advanced in March. The stock market (+2.2%) and the housing index (+2.0%) posted the largest gains. 

Furniture and appliance sales increased 0.6%, while sales of other durable goods rose 0.3%.

In manufacturing, the ratio of manufacturing shipments to inventories rose slightly for the second straight month. The average work week at factories rose for the third month in a row. New orders for durable goods fell 0.6%, after gaining 1% in February.

The U.S. leading indicator was up 0.6% in February, continuing a string of 23 straight monthly gains.  
    
U.S. Housing Market News

U.S. single-family home prices fell for an eighth straight month in February according to the closely watched S&P/Case Shiller composite index of 20 metropolitan areas released on Tuesday. The 20-city composite index declined 0.2% in February from January on a seasonally adjusted basis to 139.27, just above its 2009 low of 139.26. Average home prices across the U.S. are back to levels where they were in the summer of 2003. Prices in the 20 cities have fallen 3.3% year-over-year. The glut of houses up for sale has kept prices low and the market has struggled to regain some traction since a home buyer tax credit expired last spring.

Meanwhile, sales of new U.S. single-family homes increased more than expected in March and the supply of new houses on the market hit their lowest level since August, 1967. The Commerce Department reported on Monday that sales rose 11.1% to a seasonally adjusted 300,000 unit annual rate, after an upwardly revised 270,000 unit pace in February. Compared to March of last year, sales were down 21.9%. The market for new homes is being squeezed by competition from previously owned homes and a deluge of foreclosed properties, even though inventories of new homes are at a 43 1/2 year low. The median sales price for a new home rose to 2.9% in March to $213,800 from February. Year-over-year, the median price is down 4.9%.

Last week, a report showed that there were 3.55 million previously owned homes on the market in March, well above the U.S. economy's more normal rate of 2.0-2.5 million. When foreclosed and highly delinquent are taken into account, the supply is in the range of 8.0-9.0 million. 
       

 CHHMA Events For 2011

Maple Leaf Night
Tuesday, May 10
The Mirage Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada

Quebec Golf Tournament
Tuesday, May 17
Le Fontainebleau Golf Club, Blainville, Quebec

Ontario Golf Tournament
Wednesday, May 25
Angus Glen Golf Club, Markham, Ontario

Jean-Luc Meunier, RONA, Breakfast Seminar
Tuesday, May 31
Hotel Mortagne, Boucherville, Quebec

Western Golf Tournament
Tuesday, June 7
Morgan Creek Golf Club, Surrey, B.C.

Night at the Races
Wednesday, June 15
Woodbine Racetrack, Toronto, Ontario

Industry Memorial Golf Classic
Tuesday, September 27
Blue Springs Golf Club, Acton, Ontario

Industry Cocktail
Tuesday, November 29
Location TBA, Montreal, Quebec

To register for all events visit our website at www.chhma.ca or call Pam Winter at (416) 282-0022 ext.21.

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"Eye On Our Industry" is published by the CHHMA as an information resource for our members. Member input regarding content and format is welcomed. Please contact Michael Jorgenson by email: mjorgenson@chhma.ca, or call at (416) 282-0022, ext. 34. CHHMA is located at 1335 Morningside Ave., Suite 101, Scarborough, ON, M1B 5M4 www.chhma.ca