Interest rates, home prices, financial market volatility and a possible future recession loom large on Canadians' household balances.

The share of household debt to disposable income edged back up in the second quarter of the year.

The loonie shot up following fresh signals from the Bank of Canada that it is giving more thought to raising interest rates, while Toronto's main stock index continued its second day of declines.

Carolyn Wilkins said the gains are something Canada hasn't seen since before the oil-price collapse nearly three years ago.

RBC report highlights the implications of a rate hike for household debt

Debt can break a relationship — and keep divorced couples tied at the hip

The debt-to-income ratio is "probably the most useless economic indicator out there."

Household debt rose to a fresh record in the last stretch of 2016, according to Statistics Canada

Consumer spending by everyday Canadians is keeping the economy going, but high debt levels are cause for alarm. So where is the balance?