Skip to main content

Featured

Big Six Banks Raise Fixed Mortgage Rates: What Your Renewal Costs Now

  Canadian Money Brief • Mortgages Updated Saturday, October 17, 2026 If your mortgage term ends this winter, the rate you saw advertised in August is probably gone. All six of Canada’s big banks have raised fixed rates since early September, and the Bank of Canada hasn’t touched its policy rate in almost a year. That disconnect catches a lot of homeowners off guard. Your fixed mortgage rate doesn’t follow the Bank of Canada. It follows the bond market. And bond yields have been climbing on oil-driven inflation worries, which means the people feeling it first right now are the ones opening a renewal letter. The numbers at a glance Up to 0.50 pt in fixed-rate increases at the big banks in about five weeks • BoC policy rate still 2.25% • Big bank prime still 4.45% • About $110 a month more on a $400,000 balance from a half-point jump How far have the big banks moved? Depending on the term, some big bank fixed rates are up by as much as half a percentage point in roughly five week...

article

Biden and Trump Agree to Two Presidential Debates Ahead of 2024 Election

 

In a surprising turn of events, U.S. President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump have agreed to participate in two general election debates. The first debate is scheduled for June 27, hosted by CNN, and the second will take place on September 10, hosted by ABC. This sets the stage for their first presidential face-off, just over a month away.

The quick agreement on the debate timetable followed Biden’s announcement that he would not participate in the fall presidential debates sponsored by the nonpartisan commission that has organized them for more than three decades. Instead, Biden’s campaign proposed that media outlets directly organize the debates between the presumptive Democratic and Republican nominees.

The unusually early timing of the first debate means that neither Biden nor Trump will have formally accepted their party’s nomination. Hours after Biden’s announcement, he accepted an invitation from CNN, playfully adding, “Over to you, Donald.” Trump, who had previously insisted he would debate Biden anytime and anywhere, confirmed his participation on Truth Social, saying, “Let’s get ready to Rumble!!!” Soon after, they agreed to the second debate on ABC.

The swiftness with which these debates were arranged reflects each candidate’s strategy. Trump and his team believe the debates will highlight voters’ concerns about Biden’s age and competence, while Biden’s team aims to remind voters of why they voted Trump out of the White House four years ago. These debates are particularly crucial in a year when voters express underwhelming enthusiasm for their choices and have concerns about the candidates’ advanced ages—Biden is 81, and Trump is 77.

As the election season heats up, all eyes will be on these debates, where the two candidates will face off in a high-stakes showdown. The outcome could significantly impact the trajectory of the 2024 election, making these debates a critical moment on the political calendar.

Stay tuned for more updates as the candidates prepare to spar on the national stage! 

Comments