Shift Happens

Wallace Immen Globe and Mail

Today's Internet user now spends nearly two of the five workdays a week on the Web, almost double the time users spent online in 2000, according to a new Harris poll.

The big jump in average Internet use happened in the past two years. Usage didn't hit eight hours until 2003 and held steady at between eight and nine hours until it spiked to 11 hours in 2007. The average hit 14 hours in 2008 and slipped to just over 13 per cent this year, the latest survey of 2,029 Americans found.

The researchers attribute the online surge to the financial crisis, with more people looking for advice and examples of companies and business practices that could lead to a recovery.

The age groups that spent the most time online are those ages 30 to 39, at an average of 18 hours; while those 25 to 29 and 40 to 49 surfed an average of 17 hours. And 14 per cent of all users said they are online for 24 or more hours a week.

The survey also found that 50 per cent of Internet users said they bought something online while in the office last year.

Home prices see first annual rise in 10 months

Financial Post

OTTAWA -- Resale prices for Canadian homes rose for a sixth consecutive month in October -- and were up on an annual basis for the first time in nearly a year -- as the country's real estate market continued to recover from recessionary lows, according to a report released Wednesday.

The Teranet-National Bank resale house price index of major markets increased 1.27% during the month from September. Year-over-year, prices were up 0.57% -- marking the first rise in 10 months.

"Prices have now risen 1% or more for five months in a row," said Marc Pinsonneault, senior economist at National Bank Financial. "In October, however, the monthly rise varied significantly among the six metropolitan markets surveyed."

The biggest monthly price gains were recorded in Toronto (1.6%), Vancouver (1.8%) and Calgary (0.8%), the index showed.

More modest increases were noted in Halifax (0.4%), Ottawa (0.3%) and Montreal (0.3%). "In each of these three cities, the monthly appreciation was the smallest since market bottom -- except for one monthly decline each in Montreal and Halifax," said Mr. Pinsonneault.

Vancouver prices, however, remain 4.1% below their peak of June 2008, while Calgary is still down 11.3% from the high reached in August 2007.

Millan Mulraine, economics strategist at TD Securities, said that "while the pickup in this indicator is not entirely surprising, the slow turnaround in the indicator appears to be at odds with the other Canadian home price measures (which show a more profound uptick in Canadian home prices) and the recent sharp upswing in housing market activity."

The Teranet-National Bank price index is based on homes that have sold at least twice. The survey does not provide specific sales figures.