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Canada Holds Steady: Interest Rate Pause Signals Cautious Confidence

                      The Bank of Canada also held its policy rate at its last scheduled rate announcement in December. The Bank of Canada has opted to keep its key interest rate at 2.25% , a move that underscores a careful balancing act as the country approaches a pivotal moment in North American trade relations. With CUSMA (the Canada‑United States‑Mexico Agreement) negotiations on the horizon, policymakers appear intent on maintaining stability while assessing potential economic turbulence. The decision reflects a mix of optimism and prudence. Inflation has been easing gradually, giving the central bank some breathing room. At the same time, global economic uncertainty and the high stakes of upcoming trade talks mean officials are reluctant to introduce new variables into the financial system. By holding the rate steady, the Bank of Canada signals confidence in the economy’s underlying resilience while acknowledgin...

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Canadian Housing Starts Plunge 22% in November as Higher Rates Bite



Canadian housing starts fell by 22% in November from the previous month, missing estimates by a wide margin, as higher borrowing costs hurt groundbreaking on multiple unit and single-family detached urban homes, data from the national housing agency showed on Friday.

The seasonally adjusted annualized rate of housing starts fell to 212,624 units from a downwardly revised 272,264 units in October, the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) said. Economists polled by Reuters expected starts to decrease to 257,100 in November.

As the more difficult borrowing conditions and labour shortages now seem to be showing in the starts numbers, we can expect to see continued slower starts rates in the coming months, according to CMHC’s deputy chief economist Kevin Hughes.


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