—The Mortgage Report: July 16— Falling Equilibrium: The Bank of Canada now estimates that Canada’s “neutral rate” is 25 bps lower than it was last year. The neutral rate is the policy interest rate that keeps inflation at its 2% target without stimulating or slowing the economy over the medium to long term. The Bank now pegs neutral at 2.50%,...
Quick Summary Today’s Announcement:No change to rates Overnight rate:0.25% Prime Rate:2.45% (also no change; seePrime Rate) Market Rate Forecast:No BoC hikes until at least 2023 BoC’s Headline Quote: “…The Bank is prepared to provide further monetary stimulus as needed.” BoC on the Economy: “The Bank expects economic slack to persist as the recovery in demand lags that of supply, creating...
—The Mortgage Report: July 14— Reverse Record: Once the scorn of financial planners across the land, reverse mortgages are increasingly becoming cornerstones of retirement planning. The main reason: rates. Equitable Bank just keeps driving reverse mortgage rates lower. Today it launched a barrage of new deals, including a 3.49% one-year fixed. That’s the lowest reverse mortgage rate in Canadian history...
—The Mortgage Report: June 22— Just the Latest Head-Turning Rate: What would a week be without a new low in mortgage rates? The latest term to wear the low-rate crown is the 1-year fixed, thanks to a new promo available through deep-discount brokers. Priced at 1.69%, it’s the cheapest effective rate on a 12-month mortgage since 2016. It’s also officially...
— The Mortgage Report : June 16 — Tiff on the Hot Seat: In his first news public hearing since being minted as BoC Governor, Tiff Macklem got pelted with questions from MPs. Among his notable statements: “The biggest risk to Canadians not being able to repay their mortgage is not having a job.” “…We’re in a deep hole and...
Quick Summary Today’s Announcement:No change to rates Overnight rate:0.25% Prime Rate:2.45% (no change; seePrime Rate) Market Rate Forecast:No BoC hikes until 2022 BoC’s Headline Quote:“…The Canadian economy appears to have avoided the most severe scenario…” BoC on the Economy:“…The Bank expects the economy to resume growth in the third quarter.” BoC’s Full Statement:Click here Next Rate Meeting:July 15, 2020 The...
The Mortgage Report – June 1 Penalty Boxed: Despite a horrid mortgage market in Q2, banks still booked $5 billion in profits. But they aren’t cutting people much slack on mortgage penalties, even folks who break their mortgage early due to COVID-related income loss—as this CBC story chronicles. Banks have some great mortgage products (e.g., BMO’s Cash Account, Scotiabank’s STEP,...
Mortgage Report – May 14 De-Stressing: Call out the marching band, BMO’s posted 5-year rate cut today should ease the government’s mortgage “stress test,” effective next week. As it stands, the minimum stress test rate will likely fall from today’s 5.04% to 4.99%. It’ll mark the first time since January 2018 (when OSFI’s stress test began) that this benchmark rate...
Tiff Gets the Nod: Canada’s most important banker will soon be Tiff Macklem. Effective June 3, he’s taking over for Bank of Canada Governor Stephen Poloz. We’ll hear Macklem at BoC rate announcements for the next seven years and already he’s moving markets. Following his appointment Friday, he spoke of: downside risks to the economic recovery the fact that negative...
After slashing rates three times in March and buying billions in bond market instruments to further suppress interest rates, the Bank of Canada pressed <Pause> today. Here’s what happened and how mortgagors should respond. Rate Announcement:No change Overnight rate:0.25% Prime Rate:2.45% (seePrime Rate) Market Rate Forecast:No change until at least 2022 BoC’s Headline Quote:“The Bank’s Governing Council stands ready to...
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