Skip to main content

Featured

5 Things to Know Today: BoC Hike Odds, Fixed Rates, Tariff Swap, $100 Oil & Budget Countdown (Oct. 25)

  Canadian Money Brief • Sunday, October 25, 2026 A big week for your wallet starts Wednesday. Here are the five things Canadians should know before it begins. 1 The Bank of Canada decides Wednesday, and markets lean toward a hike The Bank of Canada announces its rate decision at 9:45 a.m. ET on Wednesday, Oct. 28, alongside a new Monetary Policy Report. Prediction markets price roughly a 79% chance of a quarter-point hike to 2.50%, up sharply after Governor Tiff Macklem’s hawkish comments at the IMF meetings, though analysts remain split and some expect a “hawkish hold.” The U.S. Fed also decides that day. What it means for you: Variable-rate mortgage and HELOC holders feel it first. A 0.25-point hike works out to roughly $70 more per month on a $500,000 variable mortgage (25-year amortization), and prime would move from 4.45% to 4.70%. A hold means little change until the next decision on Dec. 9. 2 Fixed mortgage rates have already moved without the Bank Fixed rates follow bond ...

article

TSX rises as energy and consumer staples lead




The Toronto Stock Exchange’s S&P/TSX composite index ended up 71.66 points, or 0.3%, at 21,061.88 on Monday, approaching its 20-month high of 21,074.91 reached last week. The energy and consumer staples sectors were the main drivers of the gains, as oil prices recovered some of their losses and investors digested a Bank of Canada business survey.

The survey showed that Canadian firms saw their order books decline as interest rates crimped consumer spending, and they expected inflation to ease despite increased concerns over wages for the next year. The report could keep the door open for interest rate cuts in the first half of the year, according to some economists.

The energy sector rose 0.9% as U.S. crude oil futures settled at $72.50 a barrel, down 0.3%. The consumer staples sector added 0.8%, boosted by shares of Saputo Inc and Loblaw Co, which climbed about 1.6% and 1.5%, respectively. The utilities sector also ended 1.1% higher.

Trading volumes were lower than usual, with U.S. markets closed for the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday. On Tuesday, Canada will release its consumer price index report for December, which could offer more clues on the central bank’s policy outlook. Economists expect inflation to rise to 3.4% from 3.1% in November.

Comments