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Big Six Banks Raise Fixed Mortgage Rates: What Your Renewal Costs Now

  Canadian Money Brief • Mortgages Updated Saturday, October 17, 2026 If your mortgage term ends this winter, the rate you saw advertised in August is probably gone. All six of Canada’s big banks have raised fixed rates since early September, and the Bank of Canada hasn’t touched its policy rate in almost a year. That disconnect catches a lot of homeowners off guard. Your fixed mortgage rate doesn’t follow the Bank of Canada. It follows the bond market. And bond yields have been climbing on oil-driven inflation worries, which means the people feeling it first right now are the ones opening a renewal letter. The numbers at a glance Up to 0.50 pt in fixed-rate increases at the big banks in about five weeks • BoC policy rate still 2.25% • Big bank prime still 4.45% • About $110 a month more on a $400,000 balance from a half-point jump How far have the big banks moved? Depending on the term, some big bank fixed rates are up by as much as half a percentage point in roughly five week...

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Global Powers Rally for Lebanon: Aid and Ceasefire Amidst Crisis

 

In a bid to address the escalating humanitarian crisis in Lebanon, world powers convened in Paris to push for urgent aid and a ceasefire. The conference, attended by 70 government delegations and 15 international organizations, aimed to raise at least 500 million euros in humanitarian aid and support Lebanon’s security forces.

Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati emphasized the dire situation, stating, "The storm we are currently witnessing is unlike any other, because it carries the seeds of total destruction, not only for our country, but for all human values as well". The conflict, primarily between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah, has resulted in over 2,000 deaths and displaced at least 1.2 million people.

Despite the significant turnout, expectations for concrete progress were low. The U.S., focused on its own diplomatic efforts, sent a low-level delegation, and key regional players like Saudi Arabia were represented by junior ministers. France, leveraging its historical ties with Lebanon, pledged 100 million euros in aid, while Germany committed 96 million euros.

The conference underscored the need to implement the 2006 U.N. Security Council resolution 1701, which calls for southern Lebanon to be free of any troops or weapons other than those of the Lebanese state. However, with ongoing hostilities and a complex geopolitical landscape, achieving a lasting ceasefire remains a formidable challenge.


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