News

The Bank of Canada today reduced its target for the overnight rate to 3¾%, with the Bank Rate at 4% and the deposit rate at 3¾%.

Monetary policy has worked to reduce price pressures in the Canadian economy. Inflation is now around 2% and is expected to remain near the middle of the Bank of Canada’s control range of 1% to 3% over the projection.

Governor Tiff Macklem discusses the Monetary Policy Report and the key issues involved in the Governing Council’s deliberations about the monetary policy decision.

Results from the Business Outlook Survey and the Business Leaders’ Pulse show that inflationary pressures continue to ease. Firms feel appropriately equipped to meet current and anticipated soft demand. Their investment and hiring plans are therefore modest. Expectations for growth in wages, input costs and selling prices have continued to normalize as inflation has come down.

Consumers’ perceptions of current inflation and their expectations for inflation over the next year have declined this quarter, although they remain higher than they were before the COVID‑19 pandemic. Perceptions of financial stress have improved. And, given recent interest rate cuts and lower inflation, fewer consumers reported reducing their spending. However, consumers expect interest rates to remain elevated, which is affecting their spending decisions. Perceptions of the labour market have weakened further, with young consumers reporting a more pronounced deterioration than others. Still, overall, job prospects are close to survey averages.