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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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High‑Stakes Diplomacy: Iran and U.S. Seek Off‑Ramp in Oman Talks

 

                                          People walk past an anti-US mural on a street in Tehran

Iranian and U.S. negotiators convened in Oman this week for what officials on both sides quietly described as a pivotal round of indirect talks, aimed at easing a rapidly escalating confrontation across the Middle East. The discussions come amid heightened tensions following regional attacks, tightening sanctions, and growing fears that miscalculation could trigger a broader conflict.

Omani mediators, long trusted by both Tehran and Washington, are working to bridge gaps on issues ranging from nuclear activity to regional militia operations. While neither side has publicly confirmed major breakthroughs, diplomats familiar with the talks say the urgency is unmistakable: both countries appear eager to avoid a slide into open confrontation, even as they maintain firm public postures.

Analysts note that Oman has historically served as a discreet venue for sensitive U.S.–Iran diplomacy, including early contacts that paved the way for the 2015 nuclear agreement. Whether this latest effort can produce similar momentum remains uncertain, but the stakes are undeniably high. For now, the world watches closely as quiet conversations in Muscat attempt to steer two long‑time adversaries away from the brink.


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