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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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Your daily horoscope: February 21, 2024

 

HOROSCOPES IF TODAY IS YOUR BIRTHDAY

Your quest to win friends and influence people will pay dividends over the next 12 months. Your magic touch on the social circuit will make you the No. 1 choice on everyone’s guest list and opens doors that had previously been closed to you.

ARIES (March 21 - April 20):

You can, if you wish, charm the birds out of the trees today, but a more useful aim for your communication skills would be persuading employers and senior colleagues that you are worthy of a promotion. Your talents have not gone unnoticed.

TAURUS (April 21 - May 21):

If you make it your business to impress people today you can easily win friends and loved ones round to your way of thinking. This is still an excellent time to get ahead on the career front, so make sure you say and do the right things.

GEMINI (May 22 - June 21):

You are not about to change your plans just to please other people and anyone who thinks differently will be disappointed. Move quickly in the direction of your dreams and don’t worry about leaving others behind – if they cannot keep up that’s too bad.

CANCER (June 22 - July 23):

If facts and figures don’t make much sense today you must speak up about it. You must also make it your responsibility to find out why. Could it be that someone is trying to cheat you? According to the planets that is a real possibility.

LEO (July 24 - Aug. 23):

A somewhat heated difference of opinion with a friend or family member is likely to erupt over the next 24 hours but don’t go to war over it. It will do you good to air your grievances, but you must allow them to do the same.

VIRGO (Aug. 24 - Sept. 23):

You have worked extremely hard of late and deserve a little rest and recreation, but no one will give it to you so you must take it yourself. All work and no play is never a good idea, so balance things out and permit yourself to have some fun.

LIBRA (Sept. 24 - Oct. 23):

The right opportunities have arrived at just the right time in recent weeks but the cosmic picture is starting to change and you will have to work harder now to stay at the same level of success. But that’s okay – for you hard work is a breeze.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24 - Nov. 22):

By all means speak your mind today but don’t forget that the words you use may come back at you in the near future. Try not to be quite so outrageous in your comments – you don’t have to go to extremes to make your point.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23 - Dec. 21):

You always prefer to tell the truth, no matter how painful it might be, but today you would be wise to keep what you know to yourself, especially if there is money involved. When a loved one asks for your opinion, what they really want is reassurance.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22 - Jan. 20):

If you change something for the sake of it over the next 24 hours you will have to change it back again a week or so from now, so think before you act and act only if you absolutely have to. Don’t let impatience be your undoing.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 21 - Feb. 19):

You may not care what other people think about you but if you are not on your best behavior today you could fall foul of someone who is eager to take you down a peg or two. Why give them the opportunity to make you look bad?

PISCES (Feb. 20 - Mar. 20):

Now the sun is moving through your sign your confidence will return and it won’t be long before you are on the fast track to success. Major changes are in the air, the kind of changes that will transform your existence in numerous meaningful ways.

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