• Statistics Canada said the annual inflation rate fell to 1.9% in March from 2.6% in February, the lowest level since the 1.9% recorded in September 2010.
• According to analysts a drop in Canada’s year-on-year inflation rate to an 18-month low in March will not delay interest rate hikes by the Bank of Canada.
• Last week I reported that analyst were saying Apple stock was “extremely under valued” after dropping more than 10% over the past two weeks. After the markets closed on Tuesday, the company reported another round of record-setting quarterly earnings (net income up 94%) and the stock rebounded almost 9% on Wednesday.
• Has U.S. real estate found a bottom? This week the S&P/Case-Shiller index showed values in 20 U.S. cities fell 3.5% in February, the smallest 12-month drop since February 2011. According to the Commerce Department, new homes sold at an annual pace of 328,000 in March, up 7.5% from a year earlier.

Is it a good time for Canadians to buy U.S. real estate? Garth Turner: America

• Britain’s economy has slid back into its first double dip recession since the 1970′s. 
• Shares of Rogers fell over 5% Wednesday after the telecom company missed analysts’ expectations on its first-quarter financial results. The company’s wireless division has faced tougher cellphone competition from players big and small, while its cable division is battling fellow industry giant Bell.
•  On Wednesday Le Château reported that sales for the fourth quarter were down 5.3%. With still excessively high inventory levels, increasing debt, and a reduction in store count analysts expected share price to remain flat for the foreseeable future.
• I was stunned on Thursday when shares of Le Château skyrocketed over 50%. Is this stock a classic value trap, or has the market been overreacting to the weak consumer environment? Shares are down 85% this past year.