US mortgage rates are climbing nearly as fast as they were cut just a few months ago. Freddie Mac released its Primary Mortgage Market Survey this week. They found the 30-year fixed rate mortgage is now well over 5%, the highest rate since 2009. Higher costs to control inflation means a lot less time repairing […]
The US central bank is desperately trying to signal things are under control, despite letting inflation slip. The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) voted to make the largest rate hike in over 20 years. They won’t stop there, though, they hinted at similar hikes for at least the next two meetings this year. Quantitative tightening […]
From low-for-long to high-for-longer, Canada may not have inflation under control. A new report from BMO Capital Markets forecasts the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for Canada, and the US will taper into next year. Despite US inflation being much higher, it’s expected to fall below Canada’s rate and start 2024 at a more stable level. […]
US real estate is in the first bubble since the Great Recession, and they might actually address it in time. In December, we revealed a little-known model from the Dallas branch of the US Federal Reserve showing US housing in a bubble. Central bank researchers maintain the model as an early warning system, allowing policymakers […]
Time for your cheat sheet on this week’s top stories. Canadian Real Estate Prices Better Dwelling’s Opening Statement Before Canadian Parliament’s Standing Committee On Finance The Canadian Parliament’s finance committee invited us to participate in their inflation investigation. We’re not snitches usually, but we took them up on the opportunity to explain the role of […]
Central banks went from the transitory narrative to scrambling to prevent another Great Inflation era, faster than it takes to print $100 billion in Fed Treasuries. In a speech today, US Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell pledged to take extreme measures to curb inflation if needed. The central banker warned this includes the possibility of […]
The US is raising interest rates for the first time in years, and they plan to make up for lost time. The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), which governs the US Federal Reserve, announced a quarter-point hike today. This increases the federal funds rate lower (0.25%) and upper (0.50%) bounds for the first time since […]
American real estate just spent another quarter in bubble territory, according to its central bank. The US Federal Reserve Exuberance Index shows US real estate was still exuberant in Q3 2021. A quarter before, the market fit the criteria set out by researchers to be considered a bubble. It also happened to be the quarter […]
Central banks may have held rates too low for too long, making it difficult to normalize. The US is now discussing the flattening of the “yield curve,” often a sign of an economic slowdown. Canada is ignoring a similar discussion, despite flattening even faster than the US. Flattening quickly turns into yield curve inversion, considered […]
Canada is preparing to tighten interest rates with the US, but it will encounter some hurdles. That’s the take from Jimmy Jean, Chief Economist at Desjardins. In a note to clients today, the economist said he expects Canada to start rate hikes with the US. However, the country won’t be able to keep up as […]
