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The Fed Decides Wednesday — Here's What It Means for Your Mortgage, the Loonie, and Your RRSP

  Monday, July 27, 2026 The U.S. Federal Reserve hands down its rate decision at 2 p.m. ET on July 29. For most Canadians it will feel like background noise. It isn't — here's the plain-language version of why it touches your mortgage, your cross-border spending, and whatever's sitting in your RRSP. The short version: Markets are pricing roughly a two-in-three chance the Fed holds its rate at 3.50%–3.75% on Wednesday. That's not the story. The story is that this is one of the least certain "sure thing" holds in years — and Chair Kevin Warsh's press conference at 2:30 p.m. ET could matter more than the decision itself. Why this meeting is different The Fed has held its benchmark rate steady at 3.50%–3.75% through every meeting so far in 2026. On paper, Wednesday should be more of the same. Under the hood, it's messier. Persistent inflation, running well above the Fed's 2% target for a fifth straight year, has kept a rate hike on the table. The oil-...

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Unprecedented Heatwaves Highlight Urgent Climate Crisis

 

In recent months, numerous regions around the globe have been grappling with record-breaking heatwaves, underscoring the escalating impacts of climate change. From North America to Europe, Asia, and beyond, temperatures have soared to unprecedented levels, causing widespread concern among scientists and the public alike.

In the United States, Death Valley experienced temperatures exceeding 125°F (51.7°C) for nine consecutive days in early July, while Las Vegas shattered its all-time heat record at 120°F (48.9°C). Similarly, Europe has faced extreme heat, with countries like Spain and Greece enduring prolonged periods of high temperatures, exacerbating the risk of wildfires.

The situation is equally dire in other parts of the world. In Saudi Arabia, over 1,000 people succumbed to the heat during the Hajj pilgrimage, as temperatures soared to 125°F (51.8°C) at the Grand Mosque in Mecca. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s hospitals have been overwhelmed by heat-related illnesses amid frequent power outages and water shortages.

These extreme heat events are not isolated incidents but part of a broader trend driven by climate change. The global average temperature has been steadily rising, with each of the past 13 months setting new records for that month. The European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service reported that the planet experienced its hottest day in at least eight decades on July 21, only to break that record again the following day.

As greenhouse gas emissions continue to warm the Earth’s atmosphere, the frequency and intensity of heatwaves are expected to increase. This alarming trend highlights the urgent need for global action to mitigate climate change and adapt to its inevitable impacts.


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