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Canada's Inflation Jumps to 2.4% in March — And Your Grocery and Gas Bills Show It

Canada's annual inflation rate climbed to 2.4% in March 2026 , up sharply from 1.8% in February, according to Statistics Canada data released Monday. The jump was driven almost entirely by soaring energy prices tied to the U.S.-Iran conflict and its disruption of oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz — and Canadians felt it directly at the gas pump and grocery store. Headline CPI (March) 2.4% ▲ Up from 1.8% in February Gasoline (monthly) +21.2% Largest monthly jump on record Grocery prices (year/year) +4.4% Up from 4.1% in February Core CPI (ex-gas) 2.2% Milder than expected Gas was the main culprit Gasoline prices surged a record 21.2% month over month in March — the largest single-month jump ever recorded in Canada — as the U.S.-Iran conflict choked off roughly one-fifth of the world's oil supply through the Strait of Hormuz. On a year-...

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Stock Market Update: Stocks Find Footing as Powell Chills Rate Cut Hopes



US stocks rose on Friday after a stellar month, as investors awaited Fed Chair Powell’s remarks on monetary policy. The S&P 500, the Dow Jones and the Nasdaq all gained around 0.5% or more.

Powell warned that it would be “premature” to conclude that the Fed was done with rate hikes or to speculate when rate cuts could begin. He said the Fed would be guided by data and not by market expectations. He also said inflation had cooled to its lowest levels since 2021.

Oil prices steadied after falling on Thursday, when OPEC+ agreed to cut output by 1.2 million barrels per day. However, investors remained skeptical about the effectiveness of the deal to balance the oil market and support prices. WTI crude traded around $76 a barrel, while Brent was below $83.


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