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The Rate Cuts Are Over — Is a Hike Coming?

  July 23, 2026 Oil shocks, sticky inflation and a technical recession are pulling the Bank of Canada in opposite directions at once. For most of the past two years, the only question about the Bank of Canada was how far and how fast it would cut. The overnight rate fell from 5.00% to 2.25% between June 2024 and October 2025, one of the sharpest easing cycles in the Bank's history, and it has held there through six consecutive decisions since. That story is now over. The question on the table for the rest of 2026 isn't whether the Bank cuts again — it's whether the next move is actually a hike. Two conflicting signals, one Bank The case for staying put — or even cutting — comes from the growth side of the ledger. Statistics Canada data showed the economy contracted in both the fourth quarter of 2025 and the first quarter of 2026, meeting the informal definition of a technical recession. That was enough to have some economists warning the Bank had no room to raise rates at a...

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Protesting farmers block crossings on Dutch-Belgian border

 


Farmers have blocked key road crossings on the border between Belgium and the Netherlands in their latest protest against excessive red tape and competition from cheap imports. The protests began on Thursday night on the Belgian side, with some Dutch farmers joining later. The roadblocks have caused significant traffic congestion and disrupted freight transport from the major European ports of Antwerp and Rotterdam.

The latest protest comes less than a day after Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, met with farming groups in a bid to appease them. The farmers are protesting against the increasing regulatory burden and competition from cheap imports, which they say is making it difficult for them to make a living.

The protests have been peaceful so far, but there are concerns that they could escalate if the farmers’ demands are not met. The Belgian and Dutch authorities have urged the farmers to remove the roadblocks and engage in dialogue to resolve their grievances.


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