How to Make Sense of Three Interest-Rate Policy Moves

by BeiChen Lin of Russell Investments, 9/22/25

Key Takeaways

  • Fed, Bank of Canada lower rates
  • Bank of England holds steady
  • Housing market could see boost

On this week’s edition of Market Week in Review, Senior Investment Strategist and Head of Canadian Strategy, BeiChen Lin, unpacked the latest rate decisions from major central banks. He also assessed the health of the U.S. housing market and potential opportunities in listed real estate.

Safety Cushion

Lin began by noting the U.S. Federal Reserve (Fed), Bank of Canada and Bank of England each held policy meetings this week. Starting with the Fed, he said the central bank’s 0.25% rate cut was the first of the year, ending a long stretch of unchanged monetary policy.

“This was primarily a risk management cut, rather than a cut made because of a weakening economy,” Lin stated, emphasizing that by many measures, the American economy remains robust. As evidence, he pointed to the recent drop in unemployment claims, strong retail sales numbers and healthy corporate profits.

Looking ahead, he expects the Fed to gradually lower rates over time until monetary policy is neutral—at a level that neither speeds up nor slows down the economy. Lin added that another cut is likely in December.