The Financial Post reports in its Friday, Feb. 28, edition that the downtrend in bond yields continued this week. The Post's Robert McLister writes that it is welcome news for fixed-rate mortgage shoppers. Rates were already near two- or three-year lows, but this week we saw even more discounting, albeit only for borrowers with default insurance. The lowest nationally available insured one-year fixed rate dropped a hefty 50 basis points to 4.99 per cent over at True North Mortgage -- the first time since October, 2022, that this rate has started with a "4." Given the uncertainty surrounding tariffs and inflation, this offer will not draw many crowds, but for short-term financing needs, it is worth a gander. As for the trusty five-year fixed, it dropped another 10 basis points to 3.84 per cent. That is a low we have not seen since April, 2022, just after the Bank of Canada started its rate hike crusade. Should these rates stick around for the spring real estate fiesta, they will drive demand and mop up some of the burgeoning supply of listings. However, with less than one in four mortgages carrying insurance nowadays, we will also need to see uninsured rates fall below 4 per cent to really get the party started.