CBC News: Dec 6, 2011 The Bank of Canada on Tuesday has held its benchmark interest rate steady at one per cent, with the central bank warning that the country's economy is performing slightly better than expected but will soon change. It's the 10th consecutive policy meeting that the central bank has stood pat."Uncertainty around the global economic outlook has increased," the bank said in its latest policy decision. "Conditions in global financial markets have deteriorated as the sovereign debt crisis in Europe has deepened." The bank's target for the overnight rate is the rate at which banks borrow for short-term loans. Many other interest rates in the consumer sphere are correlated to it, so it is the central bank's best weapon for heating up or cooling down the economy. Although the bank has held the benchmark interest rate steady, it also added a cautionary note. "The weaker external outlook is expected to dampen GDP [gross domestic product] in Canada through financial, confidence and trade channels," the bank said. "The economy also continues to face competitiveness challenges, including persistent strength of the Canadian dollar.... Reflecting all of these factors, the bank has decided to maintain the target for the overnight rate at one per cent." Bank to monitor global economy
Choosing to hold steady is another signal that the bank remains concerned about the state of the global economy, but not enough to make credit cheaper to obtain than it already is. "The bank will continue to monitor carefully economic and financial developments in the Canadian and global economies …and set monetary policy consistent with achieving the two per cent inflation target over the medium term," the bank said. The central bank raised its target for the overnight lending rate to its current level from 0.75 per cent in September 2010. The bank meets every six weeks to decide on its interest rate policy. Its governors are next scheduled to meet on Jan 17. Asif Khan, ABR
www.asifkhan.ca
Re/Max All-Stars Realty Inc.
Re/Max Hall of Fame
Choosing to hold steady is another signal that the bank remains concerned about the state of the global economy, but not enough to make credit cheaper to obtain than it already is. "The bank will continue to monitor carefully economic and financial developments in the Canadian and global economies …and set monetary policy consistent with achieving the two per cent inflation target over the medium term," the bank said. The central bank raised its target for the overnight lending rate to its current level from 0.75 per cent in September 2010. The bank meets every six weeks to decide on its interest rate policy. Its governors are next scheduled to meet on Jan 17. Asif Khan, ABR
www.asifkhan.ca
Re/Max All-Stars Realty Inc.
Re/Max Hall of Fame