GIC vs HISA: The trade-off between a locked-in rate on a GIC and the daily liquidity of a High-Interest Savings Account.

GIC vs HISA

The trade-off between a locked-in rate on a GIC and the daily liquidity of a High-Interest Savings Account.

Definition

A GIC fixes a rate for a set term (typically 30 days to 5 years) and, in most conventional structures, returns principal only at maturity with no early redemption. A HISA at a deposit-taking institution pays a variable rate that can change at any time, but the depositor can withdraw at any business day. Both are eligible for CDIC coverage (up to $100,000 per insured category per CDIC member) provided the GIC has a term of 5 years or less. Market-linked GICs share the locked-in structure of a conventional GIC but replace the fixed rate with a return tied to an index or basket; they are still insured by CDIC if issued by a member institution. For registered accounts (RRSP, TFSA), both GICs and HISAs are common holdings. The key suitability distinction is liquidity: a client who may need to access principal before maturity should not be placed in a non-redeemable GIC.

Source

CDIC Act; Income Tax Act; NI 31-103 suitability provisions

Where this shows up on the CIRE

Outcome 5.1

Test yourself

Two real CIRE-bank questions on this exact outcome. Click to reveal the answer and the rule citation.

1
Under UMIR, a registered trader at a CIRO marketplace participant enters a large buy order for a thinly traded security. The trader fragments the order into many small lots throughout the session to avoid triggering an uptick in the displayed quote. A colleague flags this as potentially problematic. Which UMIR concept is most relevant?
Outcome 5.1 · click for answer
A.Gatekeeper obligations, since branch manager sign-off covered the order entry process
B.Short sale rules, since the fragmented lots would typically be sourced from borrowed inventory
C.Best execution, since splitting the order kept the trader from securing the best available price
D.Manipulative and deceptive trading, since managing orders to distort price formation may breach UMIRCorrect
UMIR prohibits trading activity that creates a misleading appearance of trading activity or that manipulates the price of a security. Deliberately fragmenting orders to manage quote impact in a way designed to create a false impression of natural market activity can fall within UMIR's manipulation provisions. This is distinct from legitimate order management strategies because the intent is to avoid natural price discovery rather than to achieve best execution for a client.
2
A client asks their RR to explain Keynesian economic theory. Which of the following best summarizes the Keynesian view on managing economic downturns?
Outcome 5.1 · click for answer
A.Aggregate demand drives output, so government spending or tax cuts should fill demand gapsCorrect
B.Money supply drives output, so the central bank should expand or tighten it as needed
C.Production drives output, so government should cut taxes and deregulate to boost supply
D.Markets self-correct on their own, so government should avoid intervening in downturns
Keynesian economics, developed by John Maynard Keynes, holds that aggregate demand; the total spending in an economy; is the primary driver of output and employment in the short run. When private sector demand is insufficient (as in a recession), Keynesian theory prescribes government fiscal intervention through increased public spending or tax cuts to fill the demand gap. This contrasts with monetarist theory (which focuses on money supply control, associated with Milton Friedman) and supply-side theory (which emphasizes tax reduction and deregulation to stimulate production).

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