Insights

The Bank of Canada lowered its benchmark interest rate again in March, this time to 2.75% from 3%.

Although trade policies are evolving and government responses remain uncertain, here is a summary of what we know.

The U.S. administration has implemented blanket tariffs on Canada and Mexico after a 30-day reprieve with 25% on all imports except 10% on Canadian energy. An additional 10% tariff on China is also planned. Canada has been hit with its largest trade shock...

The significant risk that tariffs pose to Canada’s economy casts a potentially dark shadow over the housing market.

Canada has been hit with its largest trade shock in nearly 100 years. RBC Economics now finds itself balancing the desire to produce a clear analysis with the recognition that the evolution of trade policies, and policymakers’ responses to them, still...

Given the political uncertainty facing Canada, the fate of many of the measures announced in the 2024 Fall Economic Statement is highly uncertain. However, the fiscal update still serves as a snapshot of where the economy is headed and how upcoming challenges...

The Bottom Line: As expected, the Bank of Canada (BoC) cut the overnight rate by another 50 bps to 3.25% on Wednesday, right to the top end of the BoC’s “neutral” range estimate (2.25% – 3.25%). Macklem’s opening statement made clear that with interest...

The level of the overnight rate is still restrictive at 3.75% and the BoC in the press release hinted at future rate cuts will follow to support a return to stronger GDP growth.

The influx is continuing to build inventory—which is still hovering near the equivalent of four months of supply.