The Financial Post reports in its Friday, March 1, edition that the Canadian economy has dodged a recession as gross domestic product edged up in the fourth quarter last year, making it likely the Bank of Canada will hold interest rates when it makes its next announcement on March 6. The Post's Naimul Karin writes that real GDP rose by an annualized 1 per cent for the three months ending Dec. 31, compared with the consensus of 0.8 per cent, following a 0.5 per cent decline in the third quarter, according to Statistics Canada. It had originally said GDP declined by an annualized 1.2 per cent in the third quarter. GDP rose for the third consecutive year since 2020, but at its slowest pace since 2016, not counting 2020. Advance information indicates real GDP rose 0.4 per cent in January. Final domestic demand dropped 0.2 per cent in the fourth quarter, after a 0.2 per cent increase in the previous quarter. CIBC economist Andrew Grantham says, "Growth appears to have been driven largely by an easing of previous supply constraints helping exports and car sales, rather than necessarily an improvement in domestic demand." He continues to predict the BOC's first interest rate cut will take place in June.