For almost a year, Tembo has repeated a consistent and simple message. Our view was that the Canadian economy relies massively on low interest rates. Higher rates would cripple our nation’s real estate sector, its financial industry, and would raise borrowing costs on strained small and medium sized businesses. Higher rates would also force government across the country at all levels to cut spending and rein in their large deficits. But we also acknowledged that too much easy money for too long a time would weaken the economy, overload it with debt, and incentivize speculative economic activity.
We foresaw that rates would rise rapidly given recent trends as central banks wanted a healthy interest rate cushion in case of a recession. They did.
And then, just as Tembo predicted, the BOC backed off. Weakening post-Christmas spending activity and a stagnant real estate rebound in early Spring unleashed a torrent of sub-par economic data. That, coupled with a topsy-turvy global macroeconomic and political situation, spooked not just the BOC, but Central Banks around the world. In the U.S., Trump and his Chief Economic Advisor Larry Kudlow berated the Fed for its higher interest rates and its wind down of monetary stimulus. Their sharp criticism forced Fed Chair Jerome Powell to participate in a rare interview where he ex
pressed the view that he could not be fired.
Now, media reports and rumours are spreading outlining the growing possibility of the Fed cutting interest rates by half a percent and intensifying asset purchasing and macroeconomic stimulus. If such a move would occur, the BOC would effectively be boxed in to cut rates here at home as well. A rate cut in Washington would likely raise the value of the Canadian dollar to the benefit of Canadian consumers. But, the growing rumours, if materialized, would mark a potent change of course and policy. How quickly times change.