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Big Bank Earnings Wrap: What RBC and CIBC Reveal About Your Mortgage

  Royal Bank and CIBC reported record or near-record profits before the market opened Thursday, closing out a jam-packed bank earnings week that also included BMO, Scotiabank and National Bank. Beyond the headline numbers, though, the details tucked into these reports say a lot about where mortgage rates, lending standards and household credit stress are actually heading — and it's a more reassuring picture than a lot of the tariff-and-tension headlines this month might suggest. RBC: Record Profit, Credit Quality Barely Budged Royal Bank of Canada posted net income of $6.0 billion for the quarter ended July 31, up 11% from a year earlier and a record for the bank. Diluted earnings per share came in at $4.23, up 13% year-over-year, while return on equity climbed to 17.9%. The number worth watching for anyone with a mortgage isn't the profit line — it's the provision for credit losses (PCL), the money banks set aside for loans that might go bad. RBC's total PCL was $1.0 b...

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Canada Implements Digital Services Tax Amidst Controversy

Canada has officially enacted a digital services tax (DST), which imposes a three percent levy on revenue from Canadian users by foreign tech giants, retroactive to 2022. This move has sparked significant debate and concern among businesses and the United States government, with fears of potential trade repercussions.

Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland defended the decision, stating that it was unfair for Canada to indefinitely delay its own measures while waiting for a multilateral agreement on digital service taxes. She emphasized the need for tech companies to pay their fair share of taxes on revenue earned without a physical presence in Canada.

The DST is expected to affect companies with global annual income of at least $1.1 billion and Canadian revenues greater than $20 million a year. While the tax aims to level the playing field and support essential investments within the country, it has raised concerns about adding irritants to the trade relationship with the United States, especially during a sensitive time with upcoming presidential and congressional elections.

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