Bank of Canada expected to keep key interest rate at 5% on Wednesday

Economists think the Bank of Canada will keep its key interest rate at five per cent on Wednesday and not start lowering rates until around the middle of the year.  Analysts will be looking to the central bank’s statement for clues on how the latest inflation and G-D-P figures are influencing its decision-making.  The economy grew at an annualized rate of one per cent in the fourth quarter, which beat the central bank’s forecast — and inflation tumbled to 2.9 per cent in January.