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Bond Yields Are Nearing 5%: What It Means for Your Mortgage and HELOC

  Published September 11, 2026 Something is happening in the bond market this week that matters more to your wallet than the daily swings in the TSX. The yield on the 10-year US Treasury note closed in on 5% on Friday — 4.95% , its highest level since 2023 and approaching territory not seen since 2007 — after climbing 18 basis points in a single week. Canadian bond yields have followed the same path: the 10-year Government of Canada bond hit its highest level in over two years earlier this month, and the 5-year bond — the one that actually sets your fixed mortgage rate — has drifted up to roughly 3.41%, about a quarter-point higher than it was a month ago. If you're renewing a mortgage, shopping for a HELOC, or just trying to figure out whether now is the moment to lock in, here's what's actually going on and what it means for your payments. Why bond yields, not the Bank of Canada, are driving fixed rates right now It's a common mix-up: people watch the Bank of Canada...

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Intense Clashes in Gaza as Israeli Forces Target North and South

 

In a recent escalation of violence, Israeli forces have launched strikes across Gaza, with residents reporting fierce fighting in Rafah, a city in the southern part of the Palestinian enclave. The Tel Al-Sultan neighborhood in western Rafah has become a battleground, where tanks are attempting to advance north amid heavy clashes. The armed wings of Hamas and the Islamic Jihad have responded by attacking Israeli forces with anti-tank rockets and mortar bombs.

Since early May, the focus of ground fighting has been on Rafah, where approximately half of Gaza’s 2.3 million people sought shelter after fleeing other areas. However, most have had to flee again due to the ongoing conflict. Medics reported two Palestinian fatalities from an Israeli missile strike in Rafah. Meanwhile, in the northern Gaza town of Beit Lahiya, an Israeli airstrike destroyed a house, resulting in the deaths of four Palestinians and injuries to several others.

The situation remains dire, with international mediation efforts failing to yield a ceasefire agreement. While Hamas insists on an end to the war and full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, Israel is only willing to accept temporary pauses in fighting until Hamas is eradicated. Amidst the conflict, Palestinians in northern Gaza face severe food shortages and soaring prices, with thousands of children suffering from malnutrition.

As the violence continues, civilians bear the brunt of the devastating impact, and hopes for a peaceful resolution remain elusive.



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