Economists Split on Whether Bank of Canada Raises Rates Wednesday

OTTAWA—Canada’s central bank is on the verge of raising rates given inflation pressures, analysts say, although they disagree on whether the increase is coming Wednesday or not until March or later.

The Bank of Canada is set to issue its latest rate-policy decision and economic outlook at 10 a.m. Eastern on Wednesday, in what economists see as its most anticipated statement since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. The central bank last raised its policy rate in October 2018, to 1.75%. In March 2020, as Covid-19 spread, it…