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BoC Holds at 2.25%: What the Rate Decision (and Rising Gas Prices) Mean for Your Wallet

  Thursday, July 16, 2026 Sixth consecutive hold. A weaker 2026 growth forecast. And inflation that's running hotter because of gas prices, not the usual suspects. Here's what actually changes for you. The Bank of Canada held its overnight rate at 2.25% on Wednesday, exactly as markets expected. No surprise there. What's more interesting is why it held, and what it revealed about where the economy — and your bills — are headed next. This was the sixth straight hold since the Bank finished its easing cycle back in October. But buried in the accompanying Monetary Policy Report were a few numbers worth your attention. The Numbers That Matter Overnight Rate 2.25% (unchanged) Prime Rate (typical) 4.45% 2026 GDP Growth Forecast 0.7% (cut from 1.2%) 2027 / 2028 Growth Forecast 1.8% each year May CPI Inflation 3.2% Inflation Excluding Gasoline 2.2% Unemployment Rate (June) 6.5% Next Rate Decision September 2, 2026 Why Gas Prices Are Driving This Decision Here's the twist in th...

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Market Retreat: European Turmoil and Tesla’s Pay Package in Focus


US stock futures pulled back on Friday, signaling a retreat from all-time highs as European turmoil rattled nerves and Elon Musk’s pay package win put Tesla (TSLA) center stage. Here are the key points:

  • Dow Jones Industrial Average (YM=F) futures sank about 0.7%, leading the declines.
  • S&P 500 (ES=F) futures shed 0.5%.
  • Contracts on the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 (NQ=F) were roughly 0.2% lower.

Stocks have been losing steam after the benchmark S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite nailed record closes for the fourth day in a row, driven by strength in tech stocks. However, questions persist about the breadth of this year’s rally. Investors are closely watching the coming PCE inflation reading, which could impact the Federal Reserve’s interest rate decisions.

Meanwhile, Tesla shares were up around 1% in Friday’s premarket after shareholders re-approved CEO Elon Musk’s $56 billion pay package. Despite opposition from some large investors, 77% of votes were cast in favor, the EV maker said.

Not helping spirits was a slump in European stocks, which were headed for their worst week since October. Investors are concerned about the fallout for markets if the far right makes gains or even wins France’s snap election. Another dose of worry came from the Bank of Japan’s decision to hold off from giving details of its bond-buying cuts until July, a surprise move interpreted as delaying a rate hike.

In individual movers, Adobe (ADBE) shares jumped 15% after an upbeat AI sales projection from the Photoshop maker. Investors are also eyeing political turmoil in France as uncertainty about rate cuts dogs the market.


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