Trigger rates: an upcoming risk to the Canadian housing market*

Rising interest rates are putting a damper on the Canadian housing market as mortgages become more expensive for potential buyers. But there's more to watch: Trigger rates in variable rate mortgages may add to housing woes. Might this be a cause for concern in the Canadian economy?

Since the rate hiking cycle began in March, the Canadian housing market has quickly adjusted to higher interest rates, with mortgage rates having now risen to their highest levels since before the Great Recession.

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A rise in interest rates typically causes bond prices to fall. The longer the average maturity of the bonds held by a fund, the more sensitive a fund is likely to be to interest-rate changes. The yield earned by a fund will vary with changes in interest rates.

Currency risk is the risk that fluctuations in exchange rates may adversely affect the value of a fund’s investments.

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