Bond yields heavily influence what people pay for a mortgage. In general, the more government bond-buying there is, the lower fixed mortgage rates go. Explainer: Bond prices and bond rates (yields) always move inversely. Fixed mortgage rates are benchmarked against bond yields. Governments around the world are manipulating mortgage rates by buying their nations’ own debt. Take the U.S. Federal...
—The Mortgage Report: Sept. 10— CIBC has dropped the following special fixed rates: 5yr (high-ratio): 2.07% to 1.97% 5yr (uninsured): 2.24% to 2.14% 7yr: 2.71% to 2.61% It’s the first time ever that a Big 6 Canadian bank has widely and openly advertised a 5-year fixed rate under 2%, albeit it’s only on default-insured mortgages. This development is more symbolic...
Quick Rundown 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 Governing Council will hold the policy interest rate at the effective lower bound [intended to be 0.25%] until economic slack is absorbed so that the 2% inflation target is sustainably achieved.”...
—The Mortgage Report: July 31— Snapping Up Bonds: Fixed-rate mortgage shoppers dreaming of lower rates better hope for lots of bond buying in the months to come. And that’s what we’re getting from the Bank of Canada. The BoC is buying a lot of 5-year bonds, which heavily influence 5-year fixed mortgage pricing. Under theGovernment of Canada Bond Purchase Program...
—The Mortgage Report: Weekend Edition— It Might as Well Have: On Wednesday, the Bank of Canada threw caution to the wind and changed its playbook. It pledged not to hike rates until “the 2 percent inflation target is sustainably achieved.” The significance of that statement is now sinking in and here’s why. Normally, the Bank of Canada doesn’t wait for...
—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 : 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,...
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