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The Rate Cuts Are Over — Is a Hike Coming?

  July 23, 2026 Oil shocks, sticky inflation and a technical recession are pulling the Bank of Canada in opposite directions at once. For most of the past two years, the only question about the Bank of Canada was how far and how fast it would cut. The overnight rate fell from 5.00% to 2.25% between June 2024 and October 2025, one of the sharpest easing cycles in the Bank's history, and it has held there through six consecutive decisions since. That story is now over. The question on the table for the rest of 2026 isn't whether the Bank cuts again — it's whether the next move is actually a hike. Two conflicting signals, one Bank The case for staying put — or even cutting — comes from the growth side of the ledger. Statistics Canada data showed the economy contracted in both the fourth quarter of 2025 and the first quarter of 2026, meeting the informal definition of a technical recession. That was enough to have some economists warning the Bank had no room to raise rates at a...

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Trump Reiterates 100% Tariffs Threat to Dissuade BRICS Nations from Replacing U.S. Dollar

In a recent statement on Truth Social, President Donald Trump renewed his threat to impose 100% tariffs on BRICS nations if they attempt to replace the U.S. dollar as the global reserve currency. The BRICS alliance, which includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, along with newer members such as Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates, has been exploring alternatives to the U.S. dollar in international trade.

Trump's warning comes amid growing frustration among BRICS nations over America's control of the global financial system. He demanded a firm commitment from these countries to cease any attempts to create a new currency or back existing currencies in competition with the U.S. dollar. Failure to comply, he warned, would result in severe consequences, including the imposition of 100% tariffs on goods imported from these countries and the end of their access to the U.S. market.

The U.S. dollar remains the dominant currency in global trade, but members of the BRICS alliance argue that America's control over the financial system is increasingly problematic. Russian President Vladimir Putin has accused the U.S. of "weaponizing" the dollar and has expressed the need for alternatives. The BRICS alliance, established in 2009, aims to challenge the world order dominated by the United States and its Western allies.

Trump's renewed threat underscores the ongoing tensions between the U.S. and the BRICS nations as they seek to assert their economic independence and reduce reliance on the U.S. dollar.


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