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FIFA World Cup 2026 & Your Wallet: How to Cash In Right Now

  The biggest sporting event in history is happening right now in Canada. Here's what it means for your money — whether you own property, rent, or just want to watch. The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicked off on Canadian soil on June 12 — and whether you've been following the matches or not, this tournament is already leaving a mark on Canadian wallets. Toronto and Vancouver are hosting games through July 19, and the economic ripple effects are very real: in hotels, short-term rentals, restaurants, and yes, your tax return. If you're a homeowner — especially in Toronto or the GTA — there's still time to benefit. And if you're simply a Canadian taxpayer, it's worth knowing exactly what this tournament is costing us, and what we're getting back. Here's everything you need to know about the FIFA World Cup and your money. The Big Picture: What This Tournament Is Worth to Canada FIFA projects that hosting the World Cup will contribute up to CAD $3.8 billion in eco...

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Asian shares rise after Wall Street gains; Tokyo slips

Asian markets were mostly higher on Thursday, following modest gains on Wall Street in a holiday-shortened week. Tokyo was an exception, as investors weighed the prospects of a policy shift by the Bank of Japan.

The Nikkei 225 index fell 0.4% to 33,539.62, while other major regional benchmarks rose more than 1%. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index surged 2.7%, led by technology and property shares. The Shanghai Composite index gained 1.4% and South Korea’s Kospi added 1.6%.

U.S. futures edged higher and oil prices were mixed. The S&P 500 rose 0.1% to 4,781.58 on Wednesday, up 24% for the year. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.3%, to close at 37,656.52. The Nasdaq composite rose 0.2% to 15,099.18, outpacing other major indexes with a gain of 44% this year.

Trading was subdued with two trading days left in the year. The S&P 500 is coming of its eight straight winning week and is hovering just below its all-time high set in January of 2022.

Investors are looking ahead to the next year, when the Federal Reserve is expected to start raising interest rates to combat inflation. The Fed has signaled that it will hike rates three times in 2024, but some analysts think it may need to move faster and more aggressively.

Meanwhile, the Bank of Japan is facing pressure to ease its ultra-loose monetary policy and raise its key interest rate from minus 0.1%. The BOJ has been keeping credit cheap to support the economy, but some economists argue that negative rates are hurting banks and consumers. The BOJ is waiting to see what kind of wage gains might come in 2024 as part of its strategy.

In other news, online food delivery company Meituan rose 6.8% in Hong Kong, despite a lawsuit filed against it by a U.S. company for allegedly selling counterfeit versions of Squishmallow plush toys. Ecommerce giant Alibaba gained 2.9%, even as a court in New York refused to dismiss the case. Shares in struggling developer Country Garden Holdings jumped 6.9%, as property stocks rebounded from recent losses.



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