Page 21 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 149

www.sportsenergynews.com Issue #149 June 2025 21

Postseason taught me some two ball dribbling Continued from page 19 tariff policies may also be causing
drills. Those drills helped me build
dropped below 4%, but now it’s foreign buyers to buy less American
my confidence. Those drills I use Treasuries, which could be pushing
back above 4.5%. During that time,
today with my players. yields higher.
Canada’s 5-year bond yield also
It’s May now and time to reflect increased from a low of around There’s been some speculation that
foreign countries are reducing their
on your strengths, and skills you 2.50% to 2.85% as of today — and
need to improve. Each time I talk fixed mortgage rates have moved in purchases of Treasuries and instead
potentially buying gold. If you have
to my players I would say, “how step. fewer customers for Treasuries,
many shots are you getting up?” The rise in bond yields has already especially a huge customer like
led some of the big banks to adjust
For me it’s an important question. China, yields will go up, because the
their rates. CIBC and RBO have
I know finding gym time is very Treasury department needs to attract
By Trevor Steynor each raised their five-year fixed rates
hard. Taking advantage of extra more buyers and may have to lower
by about 10 basis points, including
remember growing up on Lasalle gym time is not something a lot on high-ratio options. TD also hiked prices to do so, which increases
I street. I would spend hours and of players do, but for the ones select terms as well, bumping its yields.
hours in my driveway, shooting the that do, it shows. Coaches can tell 3-year rate by 10 bps and its 5-year Another factor at play is the roughly
ball. I was lucky to have a basket in who works on their game and who fixed rates by 15 bps. $7 trillion in U.S. Treasuries maturing
this year — a massive refinancing
my driveway. My dad even got me doesn’t. I’ve worked with elite Scotiabank, on the other hand, is
a clear backboard. I worked on my coaches and trainers. The message going against the trend. It’s lowered task that could put additional upward
pressure on yields if demand softens.
short, middle, and long range shots. is always the same. That is to several of its posted special rates What it all means for Canadian
Throwing the ball off my house design a plan for your basketball and eHome digital rates, with some mortgage holders
and working on my release. Being off-season goals. My players are cuts as steep as 90 basis points on its The high level of volatility south
1-year term and 60 bps on the 2-year
5’6”, getting off a quick release was always trying to find gym time to eHome rate. of the border means even the most
important for me. I would dribble train or run (games). During the What’s driving the bond and well-informed forecasts come with
the basketball to school with right off-season, gym rats are the players a degree of uncertainty. “[American
mortgage markets?
hand only dribbling to school, and who are always calling to see As noted above, much of the recent Federal Reserve Chair] Jerome
left hand only home. Having only where there is a free gym. Working movement in Canadian mortgage Powell doesn’t appear certain about
started playing basketball in grade on their shots at a park. Finding a rates has little to do with domestic interest rates because of the impact
tariffs will have on growth and
8, I had to catch up to the elite partner to work on two dribbling data. Instead, it’s being driven by
players in the city. I used to play a drills and passing drills. Game-like developments in the U.S. economy inflation,” says Valko. “So, how
certain can we be that your variable
game of Me vs Michael Jordan, the drills are so important to improve — and how investors interpret them. rate mortgage will come down when
first player to 21 wins. Every shot I your game. As we say, “get your Those factors can include some of the the Fed isn’t necessarily certain
took and made I would get 1 point reps.” Every team I’ve coached, more obvious economic indicators about rates?”
but if I missed Michael would get I’ve always had two-three gym rats. — like inflation, interest rates, As a result, Valko advises risk-averse
employment, and investor confidence
2 points. I couldn’t take the same We encourage the non gym rats in the economy. For example, the 10- mortgage buyers who can afford the
shot twice and had to move all over to follow them. Sometimes good year Treasury yield jumped earlier current rate to strongly consider a
the half court. At first it was a tough examples can rub off on others and this week after it was reported that 5-year fixed product and enjoy the
drill, and I lost the first couple of it creates a common goal within inflation had cooled in the United peace of mind that comes with having
games. But over time I won, and a team. Have your workouts be States, fuelling speculation of a rate a consistent payment schedule. At
this helped with my confidence. I measurable by dedicating specific cut later this year. the same time, Valko and others will
be watching some key indicators that
learned a lot of drills from coaches drills to each day/workout and The Treasury market, however,
from the Potsdam and Syracuse setting goals for appropriate drills. is also influenced by less obvious could offer a clearer picture of the
Bank of Canada’s interest rate policy
basketball camps I would attend. We ask our players to record their factors, like investor confidence, decisions in the coming days and
The Syracuse camp opened my shots each day. Not really for the country’s deficit, and fears of weeks.
eyes into how hard I had to work. coaches but for themselves. Players “stagflation,” which occurs when “Next Tuesday is the most important
high inflation and stagnant economic
I wasn’t super athletic, so I had to need to measure their own growth growth coincides with high day, because we’ll be looking at our
be good at other parts of the game. and improvements. Heading into unemployment. The number one inflation numbers and [will see] if
I worked on my dribbling and the summer, have a goal on your tariffs and retaliatory tariffs against the
fear right now in the United States
shooting. I was lucky, at Syracuse I basketball skills. Tryouts are is the risk of stagflation. Economic United States caused prices to go up,
had a coach spend time with me. He around the corner. uncertainty driven by unpredictable which would be a problem,” he says.