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CMHC Just Cut Its Housing Forecast — What It Means If You're Buying, Selling, or Renewing

  Published July 28, 2026 Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation quietly downgraded its outlook for the rest of 2026 last week, and the new numbers are worth a look no matter which side of the housing market you're standing on. The federal housing agency's Summer 2026 update now calls for slower growth, softer home prices, fewer new builds and continued easing in rental markets right through the end of the year — with a split that leaves Ontario and B.C. looking a lot different from the Prairies and Quebec. Here's what's actually in the update, and what it means for your specific situation. What CMHC changed The agency's baseline call for 2026 is a Canadian economy growing at just 0.7%, with high borrowing costs, weak population growth and cautious buyers keeping a lid on demand even as affordability has technically improved. The practical result, nationally: Housing starts are expected to fall to about 241,400 units this year, down from 259,028 in 2025 Resale acti...

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S&P 500 Inches Closer to Record High Amid Optimism About Fed’s Policy and Year-End Effect

 

The S&P 500 index closed just shy of a new record high on Thursday, with the broad index gaining 0.04%. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite fell 0.03%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.1%. Markets are ending 2023 on a hot streak, with all three indexes on pace for a ninth consecutive weekly gain. For the S&P 500, that would mark the longest streak since January 2004. The index is now within 0.3% of its all-time high, set in January 2022. With one trading session remaining in 2023, the S&P 500 is up 25%.

Investors are optimistic that the Federal Reserve can successfully cool inflation without inducing a major economic slowdown, which has powered the market’s recent advance. Now, some investors say the looming end of the calendar year is giving markets an extra boost. “Nobody who has caught this rally wants to incur a taxable event,” said Michael Green, chief strategist at Simplify Asset Management. “If nobody wants to sell, prices will push higher on low volume”.

The jobless claims data released by the Labor Department on Thursday indicated a gradual cooling of the economy. Initial jobless claims, considered a proxy for layoffs, were 218,000 in the week ending Dec. 23, slightly more than the 215,000 that economists expected.

Bond yields rose as prices fell, reflecting expectations of higher inflation and interest rates. The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note rose to 3.849%, up from 3.7%.

Some investors are increasing their exposure to energy and industrial stocks, which could benefit from a strong economic recovery. Matt Dmytryszyn, chief investment officer at Telemus Capital, said his fund is boosting its position in shares of energy and industrial firms.


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