None of the 25 economists polled by Bloomberg who follow the central bank expected a rate change in either direction on Wednesday. Eight times a year, the central bank meets to decide where to set the rate, based on how the economy is performing. The Bank of Canada held its benchmark interest rate steady at 0.5% on Wednesday, but says overly high house prices in some cities and the threat of Brexit are risks to Canada's economy down the line. Brexit impactOn the subject of the recent U.K. vote to leave the European Union, the central bank says it, too, has the potential to hurt the Canadian economy. DON PITTIS: Bank of Canada and the debt sinkhole dangerIn its decision on Wednesday, the central bank said: "The fundamentals remain in place for a pickup in growth" in the economy some time down the line.

Source: CBC News July 13, 2016 14:07 UTC