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Why Interest Rates Matter for Canadians

Interest rates are the single most powerful lever in Canada's economy.  When the Bank of Canada adjusts its policy rate, the effects reach every household—from the cost of carrying a mortgage to the return on a savings account. With rates currently at 2.25% and significant uncertainty ahead, understanding how rates work has never been more important for your finances. What Is the Bank of Canada's Policy Rate? The Bank of Canada sets the overnight policy rate—the interest rate at which major banks lend money to each other. This rate serves as a benchmark that influences borrowing and lending costs across the entire economy. When the Bank raises or lowers this rate, commercial banks adjust their prime rates accordingly, which directly affects the rates you pay on mortgages, lines of credit, and other loans. The Bank's primary goal is to keep inflation near its 2% target. When inflation runs too hot, the Bank raises rates to cool spending. When the economy slows, it cuts rates...
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Market Rebound: Dow, S&P 500, Nasdaq Futures Inch Higher Amid Tariff Relief Hopes

                                           

 U.S. stock futures edg    ed higher on Wednesday, signaling a potential rebound from recent sharp sell-offs. Investors are hopeful that President Donald Trump may soon scale back his new tariffs on Canada and Mexico. This optimism comes after Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick suggested that an existing Trump trade deal could provide a pathway to relief on some imports for these countries as early as Wednesday.

Futures for the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average both rose around 0.1%, while contracts on the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 advanced 0.3%. However, a soft print on labor-market hiring revived worries about a potential economic slowdown. Data from ADP showed that private-sector companies added just 77,000 jobs in February, significantly below economist expectations.

President Trump, in an address to Congress, acknowledged the current economic discomfort but reassured markets by stating, "There'll be a little disturbance, but we're OK with that. It won't be much". The S&P 500 hit its lowest level in four months on Tuesday, erasing all of its post-election gains, amid retaliation to Trump's implementation of 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico and doubling duties on China.

As the market awaits further developments, investors remain cautious but hopeful for a resolution that could stabilize the economic landscape.



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