Brokers agree BofC rate hikes unlikely until late 2011
| Friday, 3 December 2010
A poll released by Reuters reveals that primary dealers and global forecasters unanimously agree the Bank of Canada will hold interest rates at its next policy announcement, but the timing of the next hike in 2011 is up for some debate.
The Reuters poll, released on Dec. 2 showed 93% median probability that the Bank of Canada will keep its key rate at 1% at its policy announcement on Dec. 7, with all 44 forecasters polled predicting no move.
Among the 42 that forecast the central bank’s next hike, the majority saw it happening in the first half. The median forecast for the May 31 policy date has the rate rising to 1.25%.
But among the 12 Canadian primary dealers — the institutions that deal directly with the central bank to help it carry out monetary policy — the majority forecast rate hikes in the second half with a median prediction of a first hike in July.
When compared with a similar poll taken in October, the more recent survey showed rate hike forecasts had been moved deeper into 2011.
Thirty of the 44 forecasters surveyed say the central bank will still be at 1 percent after March 1, a more pessimistic view than the last poll.
Martin Marshall, Ontario Sales Manager with Homeguard Funding Ltd. (Verico) is firmly on side with the Canadian forecasters and thinks continued low rates could be a boon for brokers.
“The economy has still not fully recovered from the recession, both here in North America and in Europe,” he says. “To raise rates at this time would be premature and therefore I do not see rates rising until the second half of 2011,” he said.
“This is great news for prospective home buyers and even existing home owners. Rates are at historic lows and we may never see them this low again.”
Morgan Vaughan, a mortgage broker with The Mortgage Group Ontario sees a steady stream of business for brokers in 2011.
“With recent numbers coming out, I don’t see any reason to raise interest rates and I believe it means brokers will continue to be busy next year, especially with refinancing.
“The spring real estate market will be strong and even if there’s a one per cent increase in interest rates I don’t see it affecting too many people because of the recent changes that require buyers qualify for the five-year posted rate.”
“Given that the Bank of Canada had indicated that they didn’t want to see that great a divergence with U.S. rates and the Fed was actually doing quantitative easing, it made sense to push out the Canadian rate hike as well as opposed to adamantly defending a Q1 move,” David Watt, senior fixed income and currency strategist at RBC Capital Markets told Reuters.
“We’ve had a lot of recovery and we’re seeing some fade at the present time, so you get that caution that maybe the domestic side of the economy is not strong enough to offset the still sizable trade hit and currency strength.”
A report earlier this week from Statistics Canada showed the economy disappointed in the third quarter with the weakest growth rate in a year, while the economy shrank outright in September, adding pressure on policy makers to safeguard the patchy recovery.
Bank of Canada Governor Mark Carney in October gave a blunt assessment of the global and Canadian economic recoveries, saying the central bank would plot its next move with extreme caution.
According to CIBC World Markets senior economist Benjamin Tal at the recent CAAMP Forum, massive new monetary stimulus by the U.S. Federal Reserve to support a sagging U.S. economy also prolongs low rates south of the border, and Canada is seen not wanting to race too far ahead of its largest trading partner.
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