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The Bank of Canada today reduced its target for the overnight rate to 4¾%, with the Bank Rate at 5% and the deposit rate at 4¾%. The Bank is continuing its policy of balance sheet normalization. The global economy grew by about 3% in the first quarter of 2024, broadly in line with the Bank’s April Monetary Policy Report (MPR) projection. In the United States, the economy expanded more slowly than was expected, as weakness in exports and inventories weighed on activity. Growth in private domestic demand remained strong but eased. In the euro area, activity picked up in the first quarter of 2024. China’s economy was also stronger in the first quarter, buoyed by exports and industrial production, although domestic demand remained weak. Inflation in most advanced economies continues to ease, although progress towards price stability is bumpy and is proceeding at different speeds across regions. Oil prices have averaged close to the MPR assumptions, and financial conditions are little changed since April. In Canada, economic growth resumed in the first quarter of 2024 after stalling in the second half of last year. At 1.7%, first-quarter GDP growt post: Bank of Canada: "With continued evidence that underlying inflation is easing, ... monetary policy no longer needs to be as restrictive." "Recent data has increased our confidence that inflation will continue to move towards the 2% target." post: BOC'S GOV. MACKLEM: IT IS REASONABLE TO EXPECT MORE RATE CUTS IF INFLATION CONTINUES TO EASE. post: BOC'S GOV. MACKLEM: WE ARE TAKING OUR RATE DECISIONS ONE MEETING AT A TIME.
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WTI crude oil fell through its range support with a large bearish gap to $72.60 per barrel. Price might still close the gap before resuming its selloff. The Fibonacci retracement tool shows that the former range support coincides with the 50% level at $76.60 per barrel while the 61.8% level is closer to the dynamic inflection points at the moving averages ...