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BoC Opens the Door to Rate Hikes: What It Means for Your Mortgage

  Published September 4, 2026 The Bank of Canada held its policy rate at 2.25% on September 2 — the seventh straight hold — but Governor Tiff Macklem didn't sound like a central banker done for the year. He told reporters the Bank is "prepared to raise interest rates, and if it takes more than one increase, we're prepared to do that," if inflation stays too high. That's a real shift in tone, and it lands right as a wave of Canadians hit their mortgage renewal date. Here's what changed, who's forecasting what, and what it actually means for your payment. Why the Bank Suddenly Sounds Hawkish Canada's annual inflation rate has climbed to around 3% — a full point above the Bank's 2% target — and the Bank is pointing squarely at energy prices. Oil has stayed elevated because of the Iran conflict and disruption near the Strait of Hormuz, pushing gas prices up and dragging headline CPI with it. Core inflation, which strips out food and energy, is still s...

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Rising Tensions as Russia Blames US and Israel for Escalating Middle East Unrest

 

                                           Russian President Vladimir Putin

Russia has sharply criticized the United States and Israel, accusing both countries of deliberately provoking Iran in a way that risks pulling Arab nations into a broader Middle East conflict. According to Russian officials, Washington and Tel Aviv are encouraging Iranian retaliation across the region, creating conditions that could entangle Gulf states—many of which maintain close ties with both the US and Russia—into a widening confrontation. 

Moscow argues that recent Iranian drone and missile strikes on Gulf allies are a direct response to US and Israeli military actions, which began with airstrikes on Iran. Russian President Vladimir Putin has positioned himself as a potential intermediary, offering to convey Arab concerns to Tehran amid rising regional anxiety. 

The Russian Foreign Ministry has gone further, accusing the US and Israel of pursuing a conflict “for someone else’s interests” and insisting that halting what it calls Western “aggression” is the only path to preventing further destabilization. Despite these warnings, Russia sees no indication that Washington or Tel Aviv intends to ease pressure on Iran or the broader region. 

As tensions continue to escalate, Arab states find themselves caught between longstanding alliances and growing security threats, raising fears that the conflict could expand beyond its current flashpoints.

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