Skip to main content

Featured

Gas Prices Are Spiking Again — Here's How to Protect Your Wallet as the Iran Conflict Escalates

  Published July 20, 2026 If it feels like you're filling up more often for the same money lately, you're not imagining it. Oil markets jolted higher to start the week, and Canadian drivers are almost certain to see it at the pump in the next few days. What just happened Brent crude — the global benchmark that drives Canadian gas pricing — jumped nearly 4% on Monday to trade above US$90 a barrel, its highest level since mid-June, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate traded near US$84. The move came after the United States and Iran escalated hostilities over the weekend, including strikes on vessels attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz and an attack on an oil facility in Kuwait. That strait matters enormously to your gas bill: roughly a fifth of the world's oil supply normally passes through it. When shipping through it slows or stalls, traders price in a "risk premium" almost immediately — and that shows up at Canadian pumps within days, not weeks. What it mea...

article

U.S. stocks retreat from record highs ahead of jobs data


U.S. stocks ended lower on Monday, pulling back from record highs reached last week. The S&P 500 fell 0.5%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.1%, and the Nasdaq composite dropped 0.8%.

Investors were cautious ahead of some key reports this week on the U.S. economy, especially the jobs market The reports could provide more clues on the Federal Reserve’s stance on interest rates and inflation.

Technology and communication services stocks were among the biggest losers on Monday. Microsoft, Nvidia, Meta Platforms, and Netflix all declined more than 1.5%. Alaska Air Group plunged 14.2% after announcing a deal to buy Hawaiian Airlines.

Markets in Europe and Asia closed mixed on Monday. U.S. crude oil prices fell 1.4%, easing some inflationary pressure.

Comments