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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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Russia's Missile Barrage Forces Power Grid Shutdown in Ukraine

 


In a significant escalation of hostilities, Russia launched a major ballistic and cruise missile attack on regions across Ukraine on Wednesday. The assault targeted critical energy infrastructure, compelling Ukrainian authorities to shut down the power grid in several areas despite the freezing winter weather.

The Russian Defense Ministry claimed responsibility for the strike, stating that it aimed at "critically important facilities of gas and energy infrastructure that ensure the functioning of Ukraine’s military industrial complex". The barrage included 43 missiles and 74 drones, with Ukrainian air defenses managing to shoot down 30 missiles and 47 drones.

The attack spanned from the Lviv region in western Ukraine to Kharkiv in the northeast, causing emergency power outages in six regions. Ukrainian Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko condemned the attack, describing it as an ongoing effort by Russia to terrorize Ukrainians and disrupt the nation's energy grid.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged Western partners to accelerate the delivery of promised air defense weapons, emphasizing the need to protect Ukraine's energy infrastructure during the harsh winter months. The attack has further strained Ukraine's already eroded power generation capacity, with efforts to rebuild ongoing despite the relentless assaults.

The nearly three-year war has seen long-range attacks become a feature of the conflict, with both sides engaged in a war of attrition along a front line stretching about 1,000 kilometers from northeast to southern Ukraine. As the conflict continues, the resilience of the Ukrainian people and the support of international allies remain crucial in the face of ongoing aggression.



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