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Why Interest Rates Matter for Canadians

Interest rates are the single most powerful lever in Canada's economy.  When the Bank of Canada adjusts its policy rate, the effects reach every household—from the cost of carrying a mortgage to the return on a savings account. With rates currently at 2.25% and significant uncertainty ahead, understanding how rates work has never been more important for your finances. What Is the Bank of Canada's Policy Rate? The Bank of Canada sets the overnight policy rate—the interest rate at which major banks lend money to each other. This rate serves as a benchmark that influences borrowing and lending costs across the entire economy. When the Bank raises or lowers this rate, commercial banks adjust their prime rates accordingly, which directly affects the rates you pay on mortgages, lines of credit, and other loans. The Bank's primary goal is to keep inflation near its 2% target. When inflation runs too hot, the Bank raises rates to cool spending. When the economy slows, it cuts rates...
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Stocks Open on a Positive Note as Earnings Season Kicks Off

 

The stock market opened on a positive note today, with stocks edging up as the earnings season kicks off. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose by 0.2%, or about 75 points, while the benchmark S&P 500 gained 0.4% and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite advanced about 0.3%. 

The earnings season is seen as a crucial chance for stocks to shake off the losses built in the year so far. JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, and Wells Fargo all posted decent results on Friday, but the latter two saw shares fall as they failed to settle nerves about potential pain ahead.

Oil prices jumped more than 2% after the US and its allies launched airstrikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen, drawing threats of reprisals from the Iran-backed group behind Red Sea attacks on shipping. Meanwhile, investors are looking for more insight into price pressures after the consumer CPI reading came in hotter than expected on Thursday. 

On Friday, the producer price index showed an unexpected fall in prices last month, boosting hopes that inflation will continue to cool in the months ahead.



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