"Blackout" Guidelines for Communications around Fixed Announcement Dates

Eight times a year, the Bank announces its decision on the setting of its key policy interest rate (the overnight rate target). Members of the Bank's Governing Council observe a communications "blackout" around the announcement of the interest rate decision. This "blackout" (or "no-comment") period begins one week before the announcement and is intended to help mitigate unnecessary speculation about monetary policy actions. During the blackout, Governing Council members refrain from giving speeches and from speaking to the news media or other outside parties about the economic outlook and the direction of monetary policy, or about anything else that could be considered relevant to the economic outlook and their interest rate decision. Other senior representatives of the Bank are also expected to adhere to the blackout guidelines.

The key policy rate decision is published on a Wednesday at 10:00 Eastern Time. The blackout period begins on the Wednesday prior to the rate decision.

  • In January, April, July and October, when the Monetary Policy Report is published concurrently with the key policy interest rate decision, the blackout ends at 11:15 Eastern Time on the day of the rate decision, when the press conference associated with the release of the Report begins.
  • When the policy rate decision is not published in conjunction with a Monetary Policy Report, the blackout extends to the end of the day on which the decision is announced.