Skip to main content

Featured

The Mortgage Renewal Wave Just Peaked — Here's What the Data Actually Shows

Published August 30, 2026 For three years, "the mortgage renewal wall" has been the scariest phrase in Canadian personal finance — the idea that a flood of ultra-cheap, pandemic-era mortgages would come due at much higher rates and trigger a wave of forced sales. That wall is now mostly behind us. Two new 2026 surveys, one from Royal LePage and one from Rates.ca, show what actually happened when it hit. The short version: it hurt, budgets tightened hard for a lot of people, but the mass default many feared simply didn't show up. The last big group is renewing right now Royal LePage's 2026 Mortgage Renewal Survey, released August 19 and based on a Leger poll of 1,127 Canadians renewing this year, pins down where things stand: about 12% of all outstanding Canadian mortgages are five-year, fixed-payment loans taken out during the 2020–2022 ultra-low-rate window, and this is their last major renewal wave. The Bank of Canada's overnight rate sat at just 0.25% through m...

article

Mideast Enters Dangerous New Phase With Iran’s Attack on Israel

 

In a significant escalation of tensions, Iran launched an unprecedented attack on Israel, firing over 300 drones and missiles. The attack, which took place on a Saturday evening, was largely thwarted by Israel and its allies, including the US, UK, and France, with most of the projectiles intercepted before reaching Israeli airspace¹. Fortunately, there were no fatalities reported, although a 10-year-old girl in Israel was badly injured by falling shrapnel, and an army base sustained light damage.

US President Joe Biden condemned the assault in the strongest terms, emphasizing that it was the first attack from Iranian soil against Israel. Israeli officials warned that this incident marked "a severe and dangerous escalation" from Tehran. However, neither the US nor Israel indicated immediate plans for retaliation against Iran. The attack came after Iran's embassy compound in Syria was hit by missiles on April 1, resulting in the deaths of seven Iranian officers. Iran stated that it would refrain from further assaults unless Israel responded strongly.

Despite the tension, stock markets in Israel, Saudi Arabia, and other Middle Eastern countries experienced only slight declines. Iran deliberately limited the scale of its retaliation, aiming for maximum symbolism but minimum damage. The situation remains precarious, and global leaders are coordinating a united diplomatic response. Oil prices surged following the Syria strike, with Brent climbing above $90 a barrel, and analysts speculating it could reach $100 if direct conflict between Iran and Israel escalates. The Israeli shekel weakened, and Israeli stocks initially rose but later reversed gains. Saudi Arabia expressed deep concern over the military escalation developments in the region.

As the Middle East enters this perilous new phase, the world watches closely, aware that the situation could have far-reaching consequences for regional stability and international relations.



Comments