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Peter Hall headshot, EDC
Peter G. Hall Vice-President and Chief Economist Export Development Canada Peter G. Hall

Peter Hall joined Export Development Canada (EDC) in November 2004. With over 25 years of experience in economic analysis and forecasting, Mr. Hall is responsible for overseeing EDC’s economic analysis, country risk assessment and corporate research groups. In addition to preparing strategic advice for senior management at EDC, Mr. Hall is a featured speaker at conferences, international roundtables and policy fora, and regularly appears in television, radio and print media commenting on the world economy and Canadian international trade issues. He produces a widely circulated print and video weekly commentary covering an eclectic range of current global economic issues.

Prior to joining EDC, Mr. Hall directed the economic forecasting activities of the Conference Board of Canada. Mr. Hall has served as president of both the Canadian Association for Business Economics, a 600-member national association of professional economists, and its largest local chapter, the Ottawa Economics Association. He has also been a volunteer board and committee member for two Ottawa area private schools. Mr. Hall has degrees in economics from both Carleton University and the University of Toronto.

Posts by Peter

  • Weekly Commentary
    February 10, 2022
    Peter Hall, EDC

    It takes a team

    The movie is done, roll the credits!

  • Weekly Commentary
    February 03, 2022
    Peter Hall, EDC

    Oh, the things that I’ve seen!

    As I retire from EDC, a few observations

  • Weekly Commentary
    January 27, 2022
    Peter Hall, EDC

    Rate hikes add to the worry list

    Get ready for sooner, swifter increases

  • Weekly Commentary
    January 20, 2022
    Peter Hall, EDC

    Economic outlook: ‘They say it’s not, but it’s hot!’

    Business is finding it hard to keep pace

  • Weekly Commentary
    January 13, 2022
    Peter Hall, EDC

    Canada’s 2022 export prospects

    We’re off to a sizzling start, but current constraints remain

  • Weekly Commentary
    December 16, 2021
    Peter Hall, EDC

    Trade confidence powers on

    Challenges aside, Canadian exporters hold bright view of 2022

  • Weekly Commentary
    December 09, 2021
    Peter Hall, EDC

    COVID-19: Some industries still submerged

    Growth may be testing capacity limits, but not for all

  • Weekly Commentary
    December 02, 2021
    Peter Hall, EDC

    The global need for new investment

    Current capacity crunch reveals sub-par investment

  • Weekly Commentary
    November 25, 2021
    Peter Hall, EDC

    The COVID-19 car craze

    The big auto appetite is starved for supply

  • Weekly Commentary
    November 18, 2021
    Peter Hall, EDC

    The global growth surprise

    Why we’re all struggling to surf the economic surge

  • Weekly Commentary
    November 04, 2021
    Peter Hall, EDC

    What’s keeping Canadian exporters up at night?

    List of top concerns is shifting

  • Weekly Commentary
    October 28, 2021
    Peter Hall, EDC

    Global Export Forecast: Brighter days ahead

    Despite rebound in global trade, progress uneven across numerous sectors

  • Weekly Commentary
    October 14, 2021
    Peter Hall, EDC

    Is the clogged global shipping system a temporary issue?

    The critical autumn retail season is in trouble

  • Weekly Commentary
    October 07, 2021
    Peter Hall, EDC

    The post-pandemic spending splurge

    What will consumers do with all that pent-up cash?

  • Weekly Commentary
    September 16, 2021
    Peter Hall, EDC

    If supply chains are a mess, why is global trade booming?

    Gloomy economic headlines make for mixed messages

  • Weekly Commentary
    September 09, 2021
    Peter Hall, EDC

    Fall 2021 hot list

    Key economic issues of focus as summer winds down

  • Weekly Commentary
    September 02, 2021
    Peter Hall, EDC

    High confidence defies general gloom

    Wracked with uncertainty, we’re still upbeat

  • Weekly Commentary
    August 26, 2021
    Peter Hall, EDC

    The robots are coming!

    Mechanization is an answer to a lot of the economy’s structural puzzles

  • Weekly Commentary
    August 19, 2021
    Peter Hall, EDC

    A fall cooling for hot summer prices?

    Nothing automatic about slower near-term inflation

  • Weekly Commentary
    August 05, 2021
    Peter Hall, EDC

    Exports as a global recovery gauge

    In the trade Olympics, who gets gold?

  • Weekly Commentary
    June 30, 2021
    Peter Hall, EDC

    To immunity and beyond!

    New economic forecast paints rosy picture of global growth

  • Weekly Commentary
    June 17, 2021
    Peter Hall, EDC

    Going global: Time to tap into emerging markets

    The rapid transformation of the global customer base

  • Weekly Commentary
    June 10, 2021
    Peter Hall, EDC

    Price pressures in a post-pandemic world

    Is inflation getting out of control?

  • Weekly Commentary
    June 03, 2021
    Peter Hall, EDC

    The return to normal

    What will post-pandemic life be like?

  • Weekly Commentary
    May 27, 2021
    Peter Hall, EDC

    COVID-19: Labour shortage

    Lack of skilled workers in some sectors may constrain growth

  • Weekly Commentary
    May 20, 2021
    Peter Hall, EDC

    Capacity crunch

    Economic recovery more challenging than expected

  • Weekly Commentary
    May 13, 2021
    Peter Hall, EDC

    Clearing COVID-19 clouds in the U.S., Europe darken other horizons

    Many emerging markets face fiscal stress

  • Weekly Commentary
    May 06, 2021
     Peter Hall, EDC

    U.S. stimulus wave cresting

    Surge in March: You ain’t seen nothin’ yet!

  • Weekly Commentary
    April 29, 2021
    Peter Hall, EDC

    Soaring wood prices: I’m stumped!

    Building supplies currently hard to come by

  • Weekly Commentary
    April 22, 2021
    Peter Hall, EDC

    Economic restart: A piece of cake?

    Rebooting harder than shutting down

  • Weekly Commentary
    April 15, 2021
    Peter Hall, EDC

    Grounded for now

    Will we ever return to our jet-setting ways?

  • Weekly Commentary
    April 08, 2021
    Peter Hall, EDC

    Labour, technology and the post-COVID-19 world

    Pandemic accelerates digital transformation, artificial intelligence

  • Weekly Commentary
    April 01, 2021
    Peter Hall, EDC

    Global forecast: The economic storm is passing

    Improved U.S. outlook boosting key economies

  • Weekly Commentary
    March 25, 2021
    Peter Hall, EDC

    Economic outlook: U.S. in for banner year

    Forecast brighter for Canada, Japan, United Kingdom

  • Weekly Commentary
    March 18, 2021
    Peter Hall, EDC

    Job market begins to heat up

    Pandemic-vulnerable industries still lag behind

  • Weekly Commentary
    March 11, 2021
    Peter Hall, EDC

    Vehicle demand is hot

    Supply chain disruptions major headache for auto producers

  • Weekly Commentary
    March 04, 2021
    Peter Hall, EDC

    Canada’s climb out of the COVID-19 chasm

    What do we make of the Canadian economy’s pandemic progress, and are better times ahead?

  • Weekly Commentary
    February 18, 2021
    Peter Hall, EDC

    Plunging infections: Success, or just another wave?

    It seems almost too good to be true

  • Weekly Commentary
    February 11, 2021
    Peter Hall, EDC

    Shortage of shipping containers a critical concern

    Soaring freight rate hikes, delays for goods purchased from China.

  • Weekly Commentary
    February 04, 2021
    Peter Hall, EDC

    U.S. housing market: Sign of global revival?

    As U.S. COVID-19 numbers improve, a key leading indicator is waking up.

  • Weekly Commentary
    January 28, 2021
    Peter Hall, EDC

    Global outlook: Hope deferred

    Our latest Global Economic Outlook expects somewhat softer growth in 2021 than initially expected.

  • Weekly Commentary
    January 21, 2021
    Peter Hall, EDC

    Risk: Friend or foe?

    The appetite for risk in an ever-changing world

  • Weekly Commentary
    January 14, 2021
    Peter Hall, EDC

    Turning the page to 2021

    Do our Happy New Year wishes already have a very hollow ring to them?

  • Weekly Commentary
    December 10, 2020
    Peter Hall, EDC

    COVID-19: The surprise of the year

    How has this redefined our world, and what are its lasting effects?

  • Weekly Commentary
    December 03, 2020
    Peter Hall, EDC

    RCEP: Significance of massive Asia-Pacific deal

    When does it take effect, and what are its possible implications for global trade?

  • Weekly Commentary
    November 05, 2020
    Peter Hall, EDC

    Top concern: Recovery from COVID-19

    We heard a lot about what’s keeping our key customers up at night.

  • Weekly Commentary
    October 29, 2020
    Peter Hall, EDC

    Better than feared, but slow and uneven road ahead

    Despite the massive upheaval caused by the pandemic, global trade bounced back faster than expected.

  • Weekly Commentary
    October 22, 2020
    Peter Hall, EDC

    COVID-19: When do I get my job back?

    Improvement is expected to continue, but the recent rise in second-wave infections is expected to slow the progress.

  • Weekly Commentary
    October 15, 2020
    Peter Hall, EDC

    COVID-19’s demands on the economy

    As the economy restarts, is it all about demand, or is there more?

  • Weekly Commentary
    October 08, 2020
    Peter Hall, EDC

    COVID-19, recovery, and inflation

    Are price hikes lurking around the corner, or are these fears unfounded?

  • Weekly Commentary
    October 01, 2020
    Peter Hall, EDC

    COVID-19: Fast won’t last

    We’re already seeing a growth moderation that will test our mettle, and future containment of infections is far from guaranteed.

  • Weekly Commentary
    September 24, 2020
    Peter Hall, EDC

    COVID-19 and CETA’s third birthday

    Does this anniversary bring hope for better outcomes on the other side of the current maelstrom?

  • Weekly Commentary
    September 10, 2020
    Peter Hall, EDC

    What is post-COVID-19 growth going to look like?

    Canadian sectors, like retailing and international trade, look positively V-shaped, and give hope that the rest of the economy might soon follow.

  • Weekly Commentary
    September 03, 2020
    Peter Hall, EDC

    COVID-19: The role of pent-up demand

    When economies falter, what brings them back up again?

  • Weekly Commentary
    August 27, 2020
    Peter Hall, EDC

    COVID-19 and mechanization

    COVID-19 may boost mechanization of production. Are we ready?

  • Weekly Commentary
    August 20, 2020
    Peter Hall, EDC

    COVID-19 and the demand for food

    Food producers, like all other industries, have been hugely affected.

  • Weekly Commentary
    August 13, 2020
    Peter Hall, EDC

    COVID-19 and the gold rally

    The world is abuzz over gold’s recent rally to a record high of US$2,000 and beyond.

  • Weekly Commentary
    August 06, 2020
    Peter Hall, EDC

    COVID-19: Reading the GDP data

    Dated numbers are still telling scary stories. As such, it’s best to look at the details for signs of true recovery. Things are moving so quickly and radically that the details are more important than ever.

  • Weekly Commentary
    July 30, 2020
    Peter Hall, EDC

    COVID-19: Is global trade back up?

    As we wrestle with COVID-19, is international trade back up, backing up, or is there a backup in capacity that’s stalling things?

  • Weekly Commentary
    July 23, 2020
    Peter Hall, EDC

    Tracking the COVID-19 economy

    How is Canada weathering the pandemic? Check out EDC’s new Canadian Economic Recovery Tracker.

  • Weekly Commentary
    July 09, 2020
    Peter Hall, EDC

    COVID-19: Containing the second wave

    Is the fledgling rebound from COVID-19 lockdowns at risk?

  • Weekly Commentary
    July 02, 2020
    Peter Hall, EDC

    Trade imminent bounce-back from COVID-19?

    COVID-19’s economic mayhem has given rise to a wide variety of recovery paths

  • Weekly Commentary
    June 18, 2020
    Peter Hall, EDC

    COVID-19’s effects anything but even

    COVID-19 has generated no winners—only survivors.

  • Weekly Commentary
    June 11, 2020
    Peter Hall, EDC

    COVID-19: A glimmer of hope?

    For Canada, June is looking upbeat.

  • Weekly Commentary
    June 04, 2020
    Peter Hall, EDC

    Is COVID-19 the biggest test yet for the retail sector?

    COVID-19 has been a nasty shock for retailers the world over.

  • Weekly Commentary
    May 28, 2020
    Peter Hall, EDC

    Global tourism rocked by COVID-19

    Few industries have felt the sting of COVID-19 more than global tourism.

  • Weekly Commentary
    May 21, 2020
    Peter Hall, EDC

    COVID-19 and the auto sector

    Things were looking good for the global automotive sector entering 2020

  • Weekly Commentary
    April 30, 2020
    Peter Hall, EDC

    We’re not through the worst bit…yet

    EDC Economics is in perpetual forecast mode until further notice. Here is our latest Global Economic Outlook.

  • Weekly Commentary
    April 23, 2020
    Peter Hall, EDC

    The oil industry and COVID-19

    Today’s oil patch woes are inconceivable—and not entirely caused by the virus.

  • Weekly Commentary
    April 16, 2020
    Peter Hall, EDC

    COVID-19: The impact on industry

    The need for business support is universal, but not uniform; some need more than others.

  • Weekly Commentary
    April 09, 2020
    Peter Hall, EDC

    The coronavirus policy response

    In global government stimulus programs, there’s an urgent need for speed

  • Weekly Commentary
    April 02, 2020
    Peter Hall, EDC

    Coronavirus and the consumer

    If consumers aren’t overwhelmed with the huge but temporary decline, they’ll be the motor of a solid recovery.

  • Weekly Commentary
    March 26, 2020
    Peter Hall, EDC

    The coronavirus crunch

    Coronavirus is rocking the world. How much, and for how long?

  • Weekly Commentary
    March 19, 2020
    Peter Hall, EDC

    The coronavirus and business investment

    How will business investment be affected by the coronavirus?

  • Weekly Commentary
    March 12, 2020
    Peter Hall, EDC

    The expanding coronavirus (COVID-19) threat

    No business is untouched by the Coronavirus; how is this global issue going to play out?

  • Weekly Commentary
    March 05, 2020
    Peter Hall, EDC

    Key issues in Canada’s long-term trade outlook

    There’s a lot of bad risk around; is there any “good” risk in our future?

  • Weekly Commentary
    February 27, 2020
    Peter Hall, EDC

    Risky today, riskier tomorrow

    Future risks are rising; is that bad news or good news?

  • Weekly Commentary
    January 30, 2020
    Peter Hall, EDC

    China’s 2020 outlook

    2020 is going to be a delicate year for China’s economy

  • Weekly Commentary
    January 23, 2020
    Peter Hall, EDC

    Do weak demographics mean slower overall growth?

    Are machines taking over?

  • Weekly Commentary
    January 09, 2020
    Peter Hall, EDC

    Will 2020 bring an end to the policy pause?

    Is trade policy mayhem here to stay?

  • Weekly Commentary
    December 19, 2019
    Peter Hall, EDC

    Surprise of the decade

    A decade is a long time; did this one have a pivotal eco-political moment?

  • Weekly Commentary
    December 12, 2019
    Peter Hall, EDC

    Cold, cold Christmas for consumers?

    Are consumers singing a dirge or a dance this holiday season?

  • Weekly Commentary
    December 06, 2019
    Peter Hall, EDC

    Prices: Why so tame?

    Prices may be tame - but will it last?

  • Weekly Commentary
    November 28, 2019
    Peter Hall, EDC

    Navigating the oil market: Are G-suits still required?

    Is the planet running out of crude oil? Not by any means.

  • Blog
    November 25, 2019
    People walking on a busy boardwalk with an urban skyline in the background

    Is a recession imminent? Why everyone’s worried yet again

    A “global recession-obsession” is gaining momentum.

  • Weekly Commentary
    November 14, 2019
    Peter Hall, EDC

    Exports grow as economy rebounds

    Exporters hold on through 2020, but the best news may come later

  • Weekly Commentary
    November 07, 2019
    Peter Hall, EDC

    Are the big trade spats one-sided?

    If this goes wrong, there’s lots to lose all around

  • Weekly Commentary
    October 31, 2019
    Peter Hall, EDC

    Slowdown: High-stakes game

    The table stakes are high: recession or no recession

  • Weekly Commentary
    October 17, 2019
    Peter Hall, EDC

    Will robots rule the roost?

    Robots don’t vote—but could they take over anyway?

  • Weekly Commentary
    October 03, 2019
    Peter Hall, EDC

    Confidence checkup

    With concern about slowing growth and political uncertainty, what are the gauges of confidence telling us?

  • Weekly Commentary
    September 26, 2019
    Peter Hall, EDC

    Business economics: A renaissance?

    Are business economists about to get a bit wealthier?

  • Weekly Commentary
    September 19, 2019
    Peter Hall, EDC

    Is India at risk?

    India has the capacity to right its recent wobbles.

  • Weekly Commentary
    September 12, 2019
    Peter Hall, EDC

    Two-speed global economy

    Will the slow gear stop the car in its tracks?

  • Weekly Commentary
    January 24, 2019
    EDC Peter Hall: Canada’s growth zone

    Canada’s growth zone

    Canada’s economic traffic may be slowing…but there is a fast lane

  • Weekly Commentary
    November 22, 2018
    EDC Peter Hall: China at the crossroads

    China at the crossroads

    With the challenges China faces, what’s the prognosis?

  • Weekly Commentary
    November 15, 2018
    EDC Peter Hall: Is trade diversification worth it?

    Is trade diversification worth it?

    Is the US market really Canada’s only long-term trade bet?

  • Weekly Commentary
    November 08, 2018
    EDC Peter Hall: Canada’s provincial industrial export outlook

    Canada’s provincial-industrial export outlook

    Some surprising export stories at provincial and industrial levels

  • Weekly Commentary
    October 18, 2018
    DC Peter Hall: Managing the Mayhem

    Managing the Mayhem

    The outlook is bright, but big parts of the global economic puzzle need to come together.

  • Video
    May 24, 2018
    EDC Peter Hall: Canadian Export Outlook

    Export outlook: The provincial perspective

    Check out the provincial export growth standings!

  • Blog
    February 04, 2018
    Moving Operations to the United States

    5 questions to ask before moving operations to the United States

    Growing international operations by investing in the U.S. gets you closer to clients and helps with logistics.

Date modified: 2017-12-20

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