4 Dec

Will the Bank of Canada diverge from the US Fed on rate cuts?

General

Posted by: Mike Hattim

Decision makers at the Bank of Canada could be weighing up possible interest rate cuts in 2024 – but they’re sure to be keeping a close eye on developments south of the border as they consider a timeline for rates to come down. Signs of a slowing economy, including easing core inflation and a gross […]

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4 Dec

New Year Resolutions for Your Home

General

Posted by: Mike Hattim

The New Year is approaching! While we are in the spirit of goal planning and setting our intentions for the coming months, don’t forget about your home! There are several things you can do to make your home and finances work for you in 2024: Review Your Home Budget (or make one!): Money can be a […]

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4 Dec

Favourite Holiday Desserts

General

Posted by: Mike Hattim

The holidays are a wonderful time of year for the merriment, music, lights… and treats! You’ll need to throw out the scale for this list of scrumptious holiday dessert ideas. Gingerbread Cookies: Did you know? The oldest recorded gingerbread recipe, dating to the 16th century, is kept in the Germanic National Museum in Nuremberg! A tried-and-true […]

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4 Dec

Economic Insights from Dr. Sherry Cooper

General

Posted by: Mike Hattim

As we move into yearend, we have every reason to believe that the economy has slowed and inflation, while still above target, has dropped significantly. But slower inflation does not mean falling prices in most markets. Yes, gasoline prices are down, and food inflation has slowed, but the purchasing power of households has not improved. Consumer […]

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30 Nov

Bank of Canada decision preview: Are rate hikes now a thing of the past?

General

Posted by: Mike Hattim

The Bank of Canada’s path on interest rates has grabbed headlines and dominated the news cycle throughout 2023 – but its final rate decision of the year isn’t expected to hold many surprises. The central bank has left its policy rate, which leads variable mortgage rates in Canada, unchanged in its last two announcements, with […]

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29 Nov

Longer mortgage amortizations: Are they here to stay?

General

Posted by: Mike Hattim

It’s been one of the trends of the year in Canada’s mortgage market: borrowers facing steep interest rate hikes deciding to ease some of the immediate shock by stretching out their amortization and keeping payments at a manageable level. The option hasn’t been without its critics: Canada’s banking watchdog, the Office of the Superintendent of […]

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28 Nov

Where are the safest cities to live in Canada?

General

Posted by: Mike Hattim

Toronto is the safest place to live in Canada, according to a new survey by Money.ca. The analysis – which looked at the prevalence of incidents involving arson, burglary, robbery, and impaired driving – culled data from the Canadian Crime Index. The study found that based on the number of offenses per 100,000 people, Toronto […]

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22 Nov

BoC’s Macklem: Rate hikes may be over

General

Posted by: Mike Hattim

Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem has said interest rates may be high enough to continue taming inflation in remarks that suggest the central bank could be at the end of its rate-hiking path. Macklem told an audience at New Brunswick’s Saint John Region Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday that a sluggish economy, set to […]

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21 Nov

Good News On the Inflation Front Suggests Policy Rates Have Peaked

General

Posted by: Mike Hattim

Today’s inflation report showed a continued improvement, mainly due to falling year-over-year (y/y) gasoline prices. The October Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 3.1% y/y, down from the 3.8% rise in September. There were no surprises here, so markets moved little on the news. Excluding gasoline, the CPI rose 3.6% in October, compared to 3.7% the […]

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21 Nov

Canada’s inflation rate drops again

General

Posted by: Mike Hattim

Canada’s inflation rate fell to 3.1% in October, still above the Bank of Canada’s target rate but down notably from its September reading of 3.8%. That slowdown was caused mainly by plummeting gas prices, with the cost of fuel at the pump falling by 7.8% compared with the same time last year. When gas price […]

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