Canada Cuts Interest Rates - Prime @4.75%

The Bank of Canada cut its interest rate by half a point to 3% whilst noting that further cuts might be necessary. The slowdown in the United States, which is Canada's largest trading partner, has begun to affect the Canadian economy. The cut reduces the bank's overnight rate — what big banks charge each other for overnight loans — to three per cent. The overnight rate hasn't been that low since December 2005. It was second time in as many months that new bank governor Mark Carney has moved aggressively on interest rates, bringing down the key overnight rate to three per cent, one-and-a-half points below where it was at the start of December. But in an unusual reaction, Canada’s chartered banks delayed for most of the day matching the central bank’s reduction, suggesting growing unease with the state of financial markets. The Toronto-Dominion Bank was first to act, after 6 p.m. AT, announcing a 50 basis rate cut to its prime lending rate to 4.75 per cent, followed by the other four big Canadian banks.

Bank of England To Cut Rate to 5%

The Bank of England probably will cut its main interest rate for the third time since December as the worst housing slump since 1992 fans concern the economy is slipping into a recession, a survey of economists shows. The mortgage market has tightened this month as banks scramble to conserve cash and stem a credit binge that fueled the country's decade-long housing boom. The number of home-loan products on offer declined by 21 percent in the past two weeks to 4,499 on April 4. U.K. house prices dropped the most since 1992 last month as the seizure in worldwide credit markets made mortgages harder to obtain, a report by HBOS Plc showed.The average cost of a home in Britain fell 2.5 percent to 191,556 pounds ($379,000) from February. U.K. policy makers have been reluctant to cut rates as much as the Fed since credit markets seized up in August, because global price pressures are threatening to spur inflation.

Indian Banks cuts home loan interest rate by 0.25%

Public sector lender Allahabad Bank has decided to reduce interest rate on housing loans by 25 basis points for both floating and fixed term loans up to Rs 20 lakh aday after UCO Bank announced cut in home loan rate. Public sector banks seem to have paid heed to finance minister's P Chidambabram's exhortations earlier this month to reduce home loan rates. The 0.25% cut is effective April 1 on all fresh sanctions. The minimum interest for 5-year period will be 9.5 per cent per annum and maximum 10.5 per cent for 15-25 years in PLR-linked loans. The minimum interest on housing loan for five-year period will be 9.5 per cent per annum and maximum would be 10.50 per cent a year for a period of 15 to 25 years in PLR-linked loans. The bank is also approaching its Board for further reduction in Prime Lending Rate to make all PLR-linked loans more comfortable for its borrowers. This news wasn't enough to revive the share price on a day when bank stocks were slaughtered at the markets. Shares of Allahabad Bank closed 5.28 per cent down to Rs.76.25 on the Bombay Stock Exchange today.

US Federal Reserve Cuts Rates By 0.75%

The U.S. Federal Reserve Board cut interest rates by three-quarters of a percentage point Tuesday and left the door open to more cuts in the near future in efforts to ward off a recession or worse, But it was less than the full percentage point investors had come to expect. With today's move, the central bank has now lowered interest rates by a full three percentage points since September, bringing it to the lowest point since late 2004. It marked the second back-to-back cuts of three-fourths of a percentage point. The Fed's policy-making Federal Open Market Committee voted 8-2 to cut its short-term interest rate target to 2.25% from 3%, bringing cumulative declines in less than two months to two percentage points, the most rapid pace of easing in years. The Fed also on Tuesday lowered the discount rate it charges banks and brokers that borrow directly from the Fed by 0.75 percentage point to 2.5%, leaving the spread over fed funds at a quarter point. In the statement accompanying the decision, the Fed said that the outlook for economic activity has weakened further, consumer spending has slowed and labour markets have softened. Financial markets remain under considerable stress, and the tightening of credit conditions and the deepening of the housing contraction are likely to weigh on economic growth over the next few quarters.

Bank of Canada slices lending rate to 3.5 per cent

The Bank of Canada has cut its key overnight rate by half a percentage point to 3.5 per cent from four per cent. The last announcement on the rate came on Jan. 22 when the central bank cut the rate by a quarter-point, or 25 basis points. Around the world, the Bank of Canada sounded a gloomy warning on the U.S. economy by slashing its key rate by a half point, its biggest cut since 2001, and signaling more to come. The Bank of Canada reduced its overnight lending rate to 3.50 percent, bringing Canada's cumulative rate cuts since December to one percentage point and narrowing the gap with the U.S. Federal Reserve rate of 3 percent.

What does it mean for people with mortgage payment? Most banks are expected to drop their prime lending rates to 5.25%. The difference in the drop of half a point over let's say in a $100,000 mortgage, is about approximately $40 a month in interest saved — over the long term, several thousand dollars.

Bank of Canada cutting interest rate on Tuesday?

The Bank of Canada is one of five central banks that will be making a decision on interest rates this week. Most economists expect the target for the key overnight rate to be set at 3.75 per cent, down from 4 per cent. Some economists are predicting that the bank will cut rates by as much as 50 bps, which would be the strongest move by the Bank of Canada since 2001.

Bank of Canada cuts interest rates

The Bank of Canada today announced that it is lowering its target for the overnight rate by one-quarter of one percentage point to 4 1/4 per cent. The operating band for the overnight rate is correspondingly lowered, and the Bank Rate is now 4 1/2 per cent. The Bank is likely to trim rates again in January, although the tone of today’s press release does not hint at a significant easing campaign. The Bank is still officially concerned about upside risks to inflation (given a very low jobless rate), but the credit squeeze and a possible U.S. recession are the dominant concerns now.

The Bank of Canada lowered interest rates yesterday, and took some pressure off the nervous borrowers and hard-pressed exporters and manufacturers feeling the sting of the soaring Canadian dollar. But the central bank also issued a dark forecast, raising concerns about weakening demand in the U.S. economy and continuing turmoil in global financial markets.

Canada's big banks followed suit, lowering their prime lending rate to 6 per cent, and adjusting some of their mortgage and GIC rates. Economists say this could be the first in a series of rate cuts meant to protect Canada's economy.

The Canadian dollar, which reached an all-time high in early November, lost more than one US cent after yesterday's announcement. The currency, known as the loonie, was trading at 98.5 US cents at mid-morning, down from its peak of $1.10.

Interest rate cut coming to Canada

Canadian interest rates could be coming down sooner than previously expected, experts said yesterday following Bank of Canada governor David Dodge's suggestion that a change to monetary policy could come next month. Dodge hinted the Bank of Canada may cut interest rates while he was in South Africa for a meeting of the Bank for International Settlements, saying global financial turbulence will be prolonged and poses a risk that central bankers must take into account. He added that the Canadian dollar has moved outside any normal ranges that it had been in, and these are really going to contribute to additional pressures. The Canadian economy, in particular manufacturing, forestry and tourism has been pinched severely in recent months by the dollar's sharp rise. A .25% cut may not be enough to bring the value of Loonie down but it will certainly be a boost for already strong housing market. The bank may have to cut rates even further to see some results in the currency markets. Borrowers will have to wait until at least next month before they start seeing some interest rate relief, but savers are already being nicked by rate cuts, as at least one major Canadian bank on Friday reduced the rates it pays on all of its guaranteed investment savings certificates by as much as one-quarter of a percentage point.

The bank makes its next scheduled announcement on interest rates Dec. 4.