The Bank of Canada announced a cut of a quarter of a percentage point to its key interest rate last week, bringing the rate down to 4.75%.
Canada is the first country in the G-7 to cut rates following the moves in recent years to increase rates throughout the worldwide economy. Canada has been increasing rates since March 2022 to deal with inflation.
The Canada central bank felt confident that inflation is moving towards its target of 2% and so were willing to make the cut.
Economists are predicting that this will start a move across the G-7 economies to cut interest rates. This would be good news for UK businesses. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) have also recommended that UK interest rates could be cut to 3.5% by the end of the year.
See: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cldd6x6gglxo
Enterprises that pay business rates are being encouraged to check their current property valuation and make sure the details held by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) are correct.
The latest Business Confidence Monitor, an Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales survey, shows confidence continuing to fall. Confidence has now fallen for six consecutive quarters and is now at its lowest since the final three months of 2022.
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