UPDATE: Bank of Canada Hikes Policy Rate by 50 Bps To 1% as Ukraine War Adds Fuel to Inflation, Supply Delays

–BOC Also Decides To Begin Quantitative Tightening, Gradually Trim BalanceSheet–BOC: Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine ‘Causing New Economic Uncertainty’–BOC Repeats: Timing, Pace of Further Rate Hikes Set by Economic Assessment–BOC Governor Macklem: Prepared To Be ‘Forceful’ in Rate Hikes If Needed By Max Sato (MaceNews) – The Bank of Canada on Wednesday jacked up its policy […]

BOC Q1 Survey: Business Sentiment Slips but Still High on Demand

–Firms See Rising Costs Amid Ukraine War, Higher Wages due to Tight Labor Markets — 70% of Firms in Canada See Above 3% Inflation Over 2 Years Vs. 67% in Q4 — BOC Consumer Survey: Prices Surge but Longer-Term Inflation Views Anchored By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Sentiment among companies in Canada dipped in the […]

Analysis: Canada’s Economy Survives Anti-Covid Mandate Blockade, Reputation at Stake

By Max Sato (MaceNews) – The Canadian economy appears to have emerged little hurt overall from a temporary blockade of its key US trade route caused by a truckers-led protest against anti-Covid mandates, but the government failure to prevent occupations of crucial border crossings and the national capital has tarnished the country’s reputation as an […]

Bank of Canada Keeps Record-Low Rate But Ends Forward Guidance on Easing

— BOC’s Macklem: Taking Deliberate Steps Toward Higher Interest Rates— BOC To Keep Govt Bonds on Its Balance Sheet Until It Starts Raising Rates— BOC Revises Up 2022 CPI Forecast To 4.2% From 3.4%; 2023 Unchanged at 2.3%— BOC Lowers 2022 GDP Forecast to 4.0% From 4.3%, 2023 To 3.5% Vs 3.7% By Max Sato […]

BOC Q4 Survey: Business Sentiment Up on Capacity Pressures, Demand Pickup

— Survey Conducted Nov. 15-Dec. 6, Before Surge in Omicron-Led Covid Cases — 67% of Firms in Canada See Above 3% Inflation Over 2 Years Vs. 45% in Q3 — BOJ Nov Consumer Survey: More Concerned About Inflation, Hard To Control By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Sentiment among companies in Canada continued improving toward the […]

BOC Q3 Survey Shows Business Sentiment Up, Tougher Supply Constraints

— More Firms in Canada See Above 3% Inflation Over 2 Years By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Sentiment among companies in Canada, particularly those in the services sector, continued to pick up in the July-September quarter on expectations of a gradual reopening of the economy and national borders, the Bank of Canada’s quarterly Business Outlook […]

Canada’s Central Bank Keeps Easing Stance To Support Pandemic-Hit Economy

By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Bank of Canada policy-makers are sticking to their stance to take their time unwinding quantitative easing amid growing uncertainty over global and domestic economic recovery. The bank’s Governing Council announced Wednesday that it is holding the target for overnight lending rates at 0.25% and maintaining the pace of weekly asset […]

US Tsy’s FX Report Finds No Formal FX Manipulators, Adds to Monitoring List

WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The U.S. Treasury Department, in its latest evaluation of whether other countries use foreign exchange as a means to boost its competitiveness in trade under criteria set by two different laws, gave China and every other country a pass, but added to its list of countries it closely monitors. The summary of […]