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Canada’s Jobless Rate Rises to 6.8% Despite December Hiring

          A employee sorts batteries on a conveyor belt at a recycling facility in Port Colborne, Ontario. Canada’s unemployment rate climbed to 6.8% in December , even though the economy added 8,200 jobs during the month. The increase in unemployment wasn’t driven by widespread layoffs but by a surge in the number of people entering the labour force and actively looking for work. December Highlights Unemployment rate: Up from 6.5% to 6.8% Employment: Net gain of 8,200 jobs Labour force: Expanded significantly, outpacing job creation Full-time work: Increased Part-time work: Declined Why the Rate Rose Economists point out that the rise in unemployment reflects renewed labour market participation , not a weakening economy. More Canadians felt confident enough to start job hunting, but hiring didn’t keep pace with the influx of job seekers. This marks the fourth straight month of employment growth , yet December also saw the largest increas...

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US stocks are on the rise today, with futures pointing to further gains as investors gear up for a fresh wave of earnings reports. Here are the key highlights:

  1. Tech-Focused Investors Anticipate Earnings: Investors are closely watching the tech sector as companies like Tesla (TSLA) prepare to release their quarterly results. S&P 500 futures rose 0.3% after staging a comeback from a six-day run of losses in the previous session.

  2. Tesla’s Catalyst: Tesla’s earnings are likely to be a significant catalyst for the S&P 500, given the stock’s weight in the index. The results, due after the market close, will be pivotal for Elon Musk’s electric vehicle maker, which has faced headwinds such as disappointing delivery outlooks and strategy shifts.

  3. Big Tech Earnings: This week, we’ll see highly anticipated results from other tech giants as well, including Meta (META), Microsoft (MSFT), and Alphabet (GOOG). Some analysts suspect that the momentum of these megacaps may be fading.

  4. GM’s Strong Start: Legacy automaker General Motors (GM) kicked off the earnings season on Tuesday by posting strong first-quarter results and raising its full-year guidance. GM’s stock popped around 4%, signaling success with its new electric vehicles and cost-cutting measures.

  5. Spotify’s Beat: Audio streamer Spotify (SPOT) swung to a profit, and its stock jumped amid an earnings beat.

Investors are hopeful that this week’s rush of Big Tech earnings will help pull stocks out of the slump that has persisted since the start of the year. However, some on Wall Street remain cautious. Keep an eye on the markets as we navigate through this earnings-packed week!


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