Skip to main content

Featured

Ontario’s Math Struggles Spark Provincial Review of Student Testing

Ontario’s latest standardized test results reveal that math achievement remains a serious concern across the province , with many students failing to meet expected benchmarks. The Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) released its 2024–2025 assessment data this week, showing that only 51% of Grade 6 students and 58% of Grade 9 students met the provincial math standard , while Grade 3 students fared slightly better at 64%. Despite modest improvements compared to previous years, the results underscore a persistent gap in student performance. Education Minister Paul Calandra acknowledged that progress has been too slow, announcing the creation of a two-member advisory body to review Ontario’s approach to standardized testing and curriculum delivery . The review will examine whether current teaching strategies, resources, and assessment methods are effectively supporting student learning. The EQAO results also highlighted disparities among student groups and school boards ,...

article

Stock Market Today: S&P 500 and Nasdaq Surge as Tesla Leads Earnings Rally

 

In today’s stock market, the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite made significant gains, fueled by a fresh wave of earnings reports. Here are the highlights:

  1. S&P 500 Rebounds: The benchmark S&P 500 (^GSPC) rose more than 1% after staging a comeback from a six-day run of losses in the previous session. Investors are optimistic about tech-focused companies’ earnings, which could help pull stocks out of the slump they’ve faced since the start of the year.

  2. Tesla’s Impact: Tesla (TSLA), often referred to as one of the “Magnificent Seven,” is in the spotlight. The electric vehicle (EV) maker’s earnings report is highly anticipated, given its weight in the S&P 500 index. Tesla’s shares have faced headwinds due to a disappointing delivery outlook, the cancellation of plans for a sub-$30,000 model, and a shift in strategy toward robotaxis. As the first major tech company to report this week, Tesla’s results set the stage for other giants like Meta (formerly Facebook), Microsoft, and Alphabet.

  3. Other Earnings: Legacy automaker General Motors (GM) kicked off earnings season with strong first-quarter results and an upward revision to its full-year guidance. GM’s shares rose around 5%. Meanwhile, Spotify (SPOT) stock jumped after the audio streaming company swung to a profit, beating expectations.

  4. Market Bottom? Fundstrat’s head of research, Tom Lee, suggests that US stocks may be near a market bottom. Elevated inflation expectations and hedge fund short interest surging to 2022 levels are among the signs. Lee points to technical levels for the S&P 500 to watch: 5019.02 (a positive sign if surpassed) and 4953.56 (a potential setup for a buy signal).

Overall, today’s market performance reflects optimism driven by earnings reports and the anticipation of tech giants’ results. Keep an eye on Tesla and other major players as they continue to shape market sentiment.


Comments