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5 Things to Know Today: Oil Surges, Tariffs Land Tomorrow, Your Gas Tax Break Survives

  Monday, September 7, 2026 — Labour Day | Canadian Money Brief Markets are closed for the holiday, but the week ahead is loaded. Here are five things worth knowing before you head back to your desk tomorrow. 1. Oil Hits a Five-Week High as the Iran Conflict Escalates Crude climbed to $92.06 US/barrel on Saturday — up 17.75% over the past month and nearly 48% year over year — after Iran and the United States exchanged missile strikes this week. Israel's defence minister has threatened "crippling" attacks on Iran's energy infrastructure, the EU has formally joined the US-led sanctions campaign, and US Vice President JD Vance said Washington won't hold peace talks until Iran stops targeting ships in the Strait of Hormuz. What it means for you: Even with the federal gas tax break extended (see #4), pump prices track the price of crude itself. If your tank's getting low, filling up early this week may beat whatever the Strait of Hormuz situation does to prices by...
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S&P 500 Inches Closer to Record High Amid Optimism About Fed’s Policy and Year-End Effect

 

The S&P 500 index closed just shy of a new record high on Thursday, with the broad index gaining 0.04%. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite fell 0.03%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.1%. Markets are ending 2023 on a hot streak, with all three indexes on pace for a ninth consecutive weekly gain. For the S&P 500, that would mark the longest streak since January 2004. The index is now within 0.3% of its all-time high, set in January 2022. With one trading session remaining in 2023, the S&P 500 is up 25%.

Investors are optimistic that the Federal Reserve can successfully cool inflation without inducing a major economic slowdown, which has powered the market’s recent advance. Now, some investors say the looming end of the calendar year is giving markets an extra boost. “Nobody who has caught this rally wants to incur a taxable event,” said Michael Green, chief strategist at Simplify Asset Management. “If nobody wants to sell, prices will push higher on low volume”.

The jobless claims data released by the Labor Department on Thursday indicated a gradual cooling of the economy. Initial jobless claims, considered a proxy for layoffs, were 218,000 in the week ending Dec. 23, slightly more than the 215,000 that economists expected.

Bond yields rose as prices fell, reflecting expectations of higher inflation and interest rates. The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note rose to 3.849%, up from 3.7%.

Some investors are increasing their exposure to energy and industrial stocks, which could benefit from a strong economic recovery. Matt Dmytryszyn, chief investment officer at Telemus Capital, said his fund is boosting its position in shares of energy and industrial firms.


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