TORONTO --  Five things to watch for in the Canadian business world in the coming week:

VIRTUAL ROUNDUP

The Association for Mineral Exploration opens its annual Roundup conference on Monday in an all-virtual format. The theme of this year's conference is "leading through change" and includes a virtual exhibit hall.

NORBORD VOTE

Norbord shareholders will vote on a resolution approving the sale of the company to West Fraser Timber on Tuesday. Norbord CEO Peter Wijnbergen said in November that the $4-billion all-stock deal will create a "one-stop shop" for construction customers and offer greater access to capital for corporate growth.

RATE DECISION

The Bank of Canada is scheduled to release its latest interest rate decision and monetary policy report on Wednesday. Governor Tiff Macklem has said repeatedly the bank's key policy rate will remain at 0.25 per cent, which is as low as the bank has said it is willing to go, until an economic recovery is well underway.

INFLATION

Statistics Canada will also release its consumer price index for December on Wednesday. Last month, it reported the annual inflation rate in November rose to its fastest pace since the start of the pandemic, driven by a rise in prices for homes, rent and goods around the house.

RETAIL SALES

Statistics Canada will release retail sales figures for November on Friday. The agency reported last month that retailers made $54.6 billion in sales in October, marking the sixth monthly gain since a record decline in April last year at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 17, 2021.