Canadian Money Brief | October 19, 2026 CFB Wainwright Fire: What We Know and How to Help Without Getting Scammed Four Canadian soldiers are dead and 39 people were hurt after a grass fire overtook a live-fire training exercise in Alberta. When tragedy hits, Canadians want to help. Scammers know it. What happened On Saturday, October 17, a fire ignited in a training area at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright, about 200 km southeast of Edmonton. Officials say it began as a grass fire during training that included grenades and live ammunition. Military leaders said the fire was known to range control for hours and was believed to be contained enough for training to continue. Then the wind turned. Reporting from Al Jazeera and ABC News describes gusts jumping from about 50 km/h to as high as 96 km/h, pushing the flames toward soldiers and their administrative area. Defence officials said 84 members of the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry were in the training area. Four servi...
Stock Market Today: Dow Nears 40,000 as Stocks Regroup Near Record Highs
US stocks remained relatively unchanged on Thursday following a record-setting rally. Signs of cooling inflation have fueled expectations for a Federal Reserve rate cut in September. Here are the key highlights:
Market Performance:
- The S&P 500 (^GSPC) edged slightly higher after closing above 5,300 for the first time.
- The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) were trading near the flatline.
- All three major indices ended Wednesday at all-time highs, leaving the Dow less than 100 points away from breaking through the 40,000 mark.
Inflation and Rate Cut Speculation:
- April’s tepid consumer inflation reading brought relief to a market anticipating higher interest rates. Trader bets on a Fed rate cut in September rose to over 70%, according to the CME FedWatch Tool.
- Investors also turned to bonds, pushing the 10-year Treasury yield (^TNX) down to near one-month lows at around 4.33%.
Corporate News:
- Walmart (WMT) posted better-than-expected quarterly profit, revenue, and same-store sales. The US retail giant’s shares surged over 5% as it raised its full-year forecasts.
- Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway (BKR-B) revealed a $6.7 billion stake in Chubb (CB), ending months of suspense over a position kept concealed in regulatory filings. Chubb’s shares climbed about 8%.
Insights from Walmart’s CFO:
- Walmart’s CFO, John David Rainey, highlighted deflation in certain product categories but not disinflation. Sales in May started strong, benefiting from investments in same-day delivery and buy online, pick up in stores technology.
- Walmart’s market cap crossed the $500 billion level.
In summary, the stock market remains resilient, with investors closely monitoring inflation trends and anticipating further Fed actions. The Dow’s march toward 40,000 continues, fueled by positive corporate earnings and strategic investments.
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