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Monday’s CPI Could Decide Your Next Mortgage Payment

  Canada lost 68,000 jobs in September. Inflation is sitting at 3%. The Bank of Canada has to decide on October 28 which of those facts matters more, and on Monday morning one more number lands to help it choose. If you carry a variable-rate mortgage, a HELOC or a renewal this winter, that number has a price tag. Two reports pulling in opposite directions The jobs data came first. Statistics Canada reported on October 9 that employment fell by 68,000 in September, pushing the unemployment rate to 6.5% from 6.4%. It followed a drop of about 42,000 in August, which means more than half of the 181,000 jobs gained between April and July have now been wiped out. Ontario shed 20,000 positions on its own. Markets reacted within hours: the odds of a quarter-point Bank of Canada hike on October 28 dropped to roughly 25% from about 40%, according to LSEG data reported by Reuters. Inflation is telling the opposite story. The consumer price index rose 3.0% year over year in August, matching Ju...

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Market Momentum Continues Post-Fed Meeting

 

The financial markets have maintained their upward trajectory following the recent Federal Reserve meeting. Investors have been encouraged by the Fed’s signals of a potential pivot in monetary policy, leading to a rally in both shares and bonds.

  • Global Gains: The MSCI world share index is on track for its seventh consecutive week of gains, a streak not seen in six years. European and Asian markets have also seen significant rises.
  • Fed’s Dovish Stance: The Fed’s dovish outlook, coupled with Chair Jerome Powell’s remarks on the end of tightening measures, has fueled optimism. Markets are now pricing in substantial rate cuts for the coming year.
  • Bond Market Rally: The 10-year Treasury yield has dipped below 4%, with a notable weekly decline, reflecting the largest drop since the early pandemic days in March 2020.
  • Mixed Economic Signals: Despite positive market movements, preliminary PMI data indicates continued challenges in the euro zone economy, potentially questioning the ECB’s current stance.

This sustained market performance highlights investor confidence in the face of changing central bank policies and varied economic indicators.

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