U.S. stocks edged lower as investors navigated a mix of rising oil prices, corporate earnings signals, and shifting expectations around Federal Reserve policy. The Dow, S&P 500, and Nasdaq all turned down after early gains, reflecting a market grappling with geopolitical tensions and inflation concerns. Indexes Pull Back All three major indexes slipped roughly between 0.3% and 0.6%, giving back some of the previous session’s momentum. The downturn followed renewed volatility in energy markets and cautious sentiment around consumer spending. Oil Prices Add Fresh Pressure Crude prices extended their sharp rally, driven by heightened worries over a potential U.S.–Iran conflict. Brent crude climbed above $71 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate hovered near $66 — its biggest daily jump since October. Rising energy costs revived inflation concerns and weighed on equities. Walmart Earnings in Focus Walmart posted stronger‑than‑expected results, but its cautious pro...
The Bank of Canada has made it clear that interest rates will not be coming down anytime soon, putting it on a divergent path from the U.S. Federal Reserve, which said this week that easing could be on the timetable.
Inflation slowed to 3.1% in October, down from a peak of more than 8% last year, but it has remained above the bank’s 2% target for 31 months. Governor Tiff Macklem said that the bank has not started discussing rate cuts yet, as it’s too early to have that discussion.
The bank is still discussing whether it has raised interest rates enough and how long they need to stay where they are.
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