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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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Europe's Diplomatic Dash: Seeking Leverage Before Trump-Putin Summit

 

A drone view shows the ruins of residential buildings in the abandoned town of Marinka (Maryinka), which was destroyed in the course of Russia-Ukraine conflict in the Donetsk region, a Russian-controlled area of Ukraine


In a flurry of high-level meetings and strategic consultations, European leaders are mobilizing diplomatically to shape the U.S. stance ahead of a pivotal summit between former President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. With concerns mounting over potential shifts in geopolitical allegiances, European officials are urging the United States to reaffirm its commitment to NATO, transatlantic unity, and democratic values.

The urgency stems from past summits where Trump's overtures to Putin stirred unease among NATO allies. This time, European diplomats are emphasizing coordinated pressure points—from defense commitments to sanctions policy—hoping to anchor Washington's approach in collective Western interests. Several foreign ministers have made personal appeals to key U.S. officials, stressing the need for a firm stance against authoritarian influence.

At stake is not just the tone of U.S.-Russia relations, but the very architecture of European security. While the outcome of the summit remains uncertain, Europe’s proactive engagement reflects a continent determined to avoid being sidelined—and to ensure its voice echoes in the room where global stakes are set.


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