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Gas Is Still $1.81 a Litre: Why Pump Prices Won't Fall (and What to Do Before Winter)

  Canadians hoping for relief at the pump got bad news heading into this week: it isn't coming soon. The national average for regular gas was $1.81 a litre on Friday, according to Kalibrate, with provincial averages ranging from $1.557 in Alberta to $2.156 in Newfoundland, per GasBuddy. That's after a big policy move. On Friday the G7 announced plans to release 100 million barrels of oil right away, starting with diesel. Brent crude dipped on the news, then climbed back to about US$102 a barrel by the afternoon. Don't expect the release to show up at your station, because crude is only half the story. Crude oil explains only half your pump price Wood Mackenzie's Jim Mitchell says crude makes up 50 to 60 per cent of the retail price of gas. The rest is the cost of refining it, and that's where the squeeze is. Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem pointed to damaged refining capacity worldwide in a Sept. 21 speech, noting that pump prices reflect crude roughly US$40 a ...

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Stock Market Bounces Back After Tuesday’s Slide


 U.S. stocks are showing resilience today, recovering some of the ground lost during Tuesday’s tumultuous trading session. After a sharp 1.4% decline on Tuesday, the S&P 500 is now 0.5% higher in early trading on Wall Street.

Investors were jolted by a hotter-than-expected report on inflation, which led to concerns that the Federal Reserve might maintain high interest rates for longer than anticipated. The delay in forecasts for interest rate cuts has been a significant factor affecting market sentiment. Expectations of rate cuts had previously fueled the stock market’s recent record-setting rally.

Despite the recent volatility, several companies are making headlines today:

  1. DaVita: The health care company reported stronger-than-expected profits and revenue for the latest quarter, propelling its stock up by 8.2% in the S&P 500.
  2. Lyft: After a wild ride in off-hours trading driven by a typo in its earnings report, Lyft shares surged by 32.8%. The ride-hailing company corrected the typo, but the initial confusion led to a significant after-hours boost.
  3. Uber Technologies: The ride-hailing giant’s board authorized a program to buy back up to $7 billion of its stock, a move that investors tend to favor for its direct impact on per-share profits.

A calmer bond market is also contributing to the steadier stock performance. Treasury yields have eased after their sharp rise, with the 10-year Treasury yield currently at 4.26%, down from Tuesday’s level of 4.32%. However, it remains significantly higher than the start of this month’s 3.85%.

While uncertainties persist, today’s recovery suggests that investors are cautiously navigating the complex landscape of interest rates and economic growth. As always, the stock market remains a dynamic arena, influenced by a multitude of factors. Stay tuned for further developments as we continue to monitor the financial landscape.


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