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CIBC lowers mortgage costs

Two days after the Bank of Canada raised short-term interest costs, the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (TSX: CM) said Friday it is trimming its posted mortgage rates.
Among the changes, CIBC's one-year closed rate slips to 6.25 per cent from 6.30 per cent, while the three-, five- and 10-year rates each decline by one-fifth of a percentage point, to 6.45 per cent, 6.75 per cent and 7.55 per cent.
The bank's move followed Wednesday's quarter-point increase in the prime lending rate to six per cent at all the major commercial banks, after the Bank of Canada raised its overnight rate to 4.25 per cent from four per cent.
While it increased the cost of short-term money for the seventh time since last autumn, the central bank also signalled that its series of hikes is likely over.
On bond markets, where banks fund their mortgage obligations, the Canadian yield curve flattened this week, as would be expected after the central bank's increase at the short end.
'Interestingly, though, the flattening came through entirely in the long end, where yields declined four basis points,' a commentary from the Bank of Nova Scotia (TSX: BNS) observed.
'For both the Canadian and U.S. curves, yields between the target policy rate all the way to the long end are now nearly flat.'"

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