Bank Rate Unchanged

For the third month in a row, the Bank of Canada has left its trend setting key interest rate unchanged.

At this morning's regular rate announcement, the bank left the overnight rate that banks charge each other at 2.5%.

In announcing the rate, the bank cited no change of its assessment of the economy in January - a decision that was widely expected.

Last week the Bank's governor, David Dodge speculated that rates would have to rise in the future, but there was no rush to do so.

Most economists speculate that rates won't go up until at least the middle of the year.