Five things to watch for in the Canadian business world in the coming week

TORONTO — Five things to watch for in the Canadian business world in the coming week:

Interest rate watch

The Bank of Canada will announce its latest interest rate decision on Wednesday. Central bank governor Stephen Poloz has raised the benchmark rate three times since last July. However, he’s expected to proceed cautiously due to trade and competitiveness challenges as well as signs Canada’s powerful economic performance of 2017 has cooled.

A peek at pot performance

Medical marijuana producer Aphria Inc. releases third-quarter results on Monday. It has been working to reduce its investments in the United States where cannabis remains illegal under federal law.

Factory pulse check

Statistics Canada releases the monthly survey of manufacturing for February and Canada’s international transactions in securities for February on Tuesday. Canadian factories had a rough start to the year, with a decline in overall manufacturing sales in volume terms of 1.1 per cent, led by the automotive, aerospace and primary metal industries.

Springtime on the railways

CP Rail releases first-quarter results after markets close on Wednesday. CP and rival Canadian National Railway have faced intense scrutiny over extended shipping delays this winter that have created a backlog in grain shipments and are believed to have cost CN’s chief executive his job in March.

The future of 5G

Rogers Communications releases first-quarter results on Thursday, and will also make an announcement on Monday regarding its wireless 5G network. Canada’s push toward fifth-generation technology promises network upgrades that could enable everything from powering complex new technologies to closing the digital divide, but the roll-out is contingent on the government’s allocation of the necessary spectrum in a new auction round.

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