TORONTO – Canadian financial institutions are lowering their prime lending rates to match the decrease announced by the Bank of Canada.
The central bank lowered its key interest rate by half a percentage point Wednesday to 3.25 per cent.
RBC, TD, BMO and CIBC say they are lowering their prime rate to 5.45 per cent, down from 5.95 per cent, effective Thursday.
The Bank of Canada’s cut Wednesday marks the fifth consecutive decrease this year after it started lowering its key rate from five per cent in June.
Bank prime rates help determine the cost of a range of loans including variable-rate mortgages and lines of credit, while fixed mortgage rates are influenced more by the bond market.
Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem said Wednesday that Canadians should expect a slower pace of cuts moving forward.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 11, 2024.
Companies in this story: (TSX:TD), (TSX:CM), (TSX:RY), (TSX:BMO)
