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Gold Crashed 30% This Year — Now It's Climbing Again. Should Your TFSA or RRSP Be In It?

  August 12, 2026 If you've only glanced at the gold headlines this week, you've probably seen some version of "gold near two-month high." That's true — spot gold touched an intraday peak of US$4,434.84 an ounce on Tuesday, its best level since June 5, before settling back to around US$4,382. But "two-month high" undersells what's actually happened to gold in 2026, and that fuller story is the part that matters if you're deciding whether to put any of it in a TFSA, RRSP, or FHSA right now. Here's the short version: gold went nearly vertical in January, hit an all-time record, crashed by close to 30% within weeks, spent the spring and early summer languishing near US$4,000, and has spent the last six weeks clawing about 10% of that back. Where it goes from here is genuinely split among the banks that cover it professionally. That's the setup worth understanding before you buy. The wildest year gold has ever had Gold entered 2026 already o...
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Canadian Business Insolvencies Double in January

 

The Canadian business landscape faced a significant upheaval in January as business insolvencies more than doubled compared to the same period last year. This surge in insolvencies also surpassed pre-pandemic levels for the month.

The Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy reported 759 business insolvencies in January, marking a 42.4% increase from December and a staggering 129.3% rise from January 2023. To put this into perspective, back in January 2020—before the pandemic began—there were only 308 business insolvencies.

These business insolvencies encompass both bankruptcies and proposals (where some or all of the debt is paid back). The situation was further complicated by the $60,000 Canada Emergency Business Account loans, which were distributed to nearly 900,000 businesses and non-profit organizations to help them weather the pandemic storm. Up to one-third of this loan could be forgiven if the remaining two-thirds were repaid by January 18. Otherwise, the debt transformed into a three-year loan with a five percent annual interest rate. Businesses were also given the option to refinance their loans before the end of March and still qualify for partial forgiveness.

However, many businesses missed the January deadline due to other pandemic-related debts. The impact of these insolvencies extends beyond the numbers reported, as numerous small businesses simply shut their doors without formally filing for insolvency. In the words of Simon Gaudreault, Chief Economist and Vice-President of Research at the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB), “Insolvencies are just the tip of the iceberg.”

The sectors hit hardest by this surge in insolvencies include accommodation and food services, retail trade, and construction. While business bankruptcies rose significantly year-over-year, proposals also saw an increase. Consumer insolvencies followed suit, growing by 23.5% compared to the previous year but remaining lower than in January 2020.

As the Canadian economy grapples with pandemic debt and higher interest rates, policymakers and business owners alike will closely monitor the situation. The real toll on businesses may be even greater than the reported numbers, emphasizing the need for continued support and vigilance.


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