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Stellantis May Abandon Brampton for Good: What It Means for Ontario Jobs

  Published August 18, 2026 With less than 24 hours left before Washington's 50% tariff deadline hits at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, the headlines are all about cement, wine, and dairy. But the real fight holding up a deal is happening in the auto sector — and this week it collided with a story much closer to home: Stellantis is weighing whether to walk away from its Brampton, Ont. assembly plant for good. Put those two stories together and you get a clearer picture of what's actually at stake for Ontario workers, renters, and taxpayers than any tariff-deadline countdown can show on its own. The Trade Deal Is Stuck on Auto Rules, Not Wine or Cement Canadian and U.S. negotiators have been in Washington for a week trying to head off Trump's Section 338 tariffs — a rarely used trade law that, unlike earlier rounds, doesn't recognize USMCA certificates of origin for the goods it covers. Autos, alcohol, and dairy are all on the list, but autos are the sticking point. Canada is pu...

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Wall Street Nervously Awaits Key Inflation Data

 

Wall Street is treading cautiously today as investors eagerly anticipate the latest inflation report. The Federal Reserve’s hawkish stance on monetary policy has kept the market on edge, and this data release could provide crucial insights.

What’s Happening?

  • Modest Losses: Futures for the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average are down by 0.3% ahead of the opening bell. Despite this, Wall Street remains on track for a positive February, even after a somewhat challenging week.

  • Inflation Focus: The Commerce Department is set to release its report on consumer spending, which includes a closely watched measure of inflation. The Federal Reserve has recently paused its interest rate hikes after raising rates to a 22-year high. The central bank’s primary goal is to manage inflation, and any surprises in today’s data could impact their next moves.

  • Analyst Expectations: Economists predict that year-over-year inflation ticked down in January to 2.3%, compared to December’s 2.6%. The Fed’s target is 2%, so any deviation from this level will be closely scrutinized.

  • Corporate Highlights: Processed food maker Hormel surprised the market by beating profit targets, leading to a nearly 5% premarket jump. However, cloud-computing company Snowflake faced a different fate, plummeting over 22% after announcing the immediate retirement of CEO Frank Slootman. Sridhar Ramaswamy will take the reins.

  • Global Markets: In Europe, Germany’s DAX and Britain’s FTSE 100 are showing resilience, each adding 0.4%. Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 index closed 0.1% lower, with factory output declining at the fastest pace since May 2020.

Investors are keeping a close eye on inflation data, hoping for clarity on the Fed’s next steps. As the market navigates uncertainty, it remains to be seen how Wall Street will react to the numbers. Stay tuned for further updates!


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