According to Toronto Dominions recent economic report, after a long run of rapidly-rising prices, the Canadian housing market has cooled to the point that it is no longer a sellers' market. "The long-awaited end of the Canadian housing boom has occurred, reflecting more moderate demand and increased supply of properties for sale." "The year-over-year price growth for existing homes in Canada's majo...

The Federal Reserve, navigating treacherous economic waters, decided on Wednesday to leave a key interest rate unchanged, bringing an end to a string of consecutive rate cuts. The decision to leave rates unchanged had been widely expected by financial markets.The central bank announced that it was keeping the federal funds rate, the interest rate that banks charge each other, at 2 per cent, marking...

As reported in the Globe and Mail, Canadians should be prepared for a modest hike in mortgage rates as the Bank of Canada turns its attention away from stimulating the economy and toward curbing inflation.This prospect, combined with other rising costs, will likely cause more homeowners to opt for the security of locking in their mortgages.That will be the case even though, for now, variable rates...

Update for investors - Since the onset of the global credit crunch in August 2007, the US Federal Reserve has resorted to a slew of innovative and sometimes unconventional approaches to dealing with the problems faced by distressed financial institutions.The effort has been part of the Fed's attempt to stave off a full-fledged financial sector meltdown and to blunt the adverse impact of the ongoing...

For the second time in a row, the Bank of Canada has cut the overnight rate by 50bps, bringing the target rate to 3.00%. This is now the first time since 2001 - when Canada was last concerned about the fallout from a U. S. recession - that the Bank has seen fit to cut rates by a full percentage point in just six weeks time.While the latest statistics have underscored a resurgent strength in Canadia...