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The U.S. Alcohol Ban Is Now Live: Who's Exempt, Who's Shut Out, and What It Means for Your Wallet

  At 12:01 a.m. ET on Tuesday, Sept. 29, the United States stopped letting most packaged Canadian beer, wine, cider and spirits through the border. Not taxed. Blocked. It's the sharpest step yet in the alcohol front of the trade war, and it lands on a very uneven set of shoulders. Two weeks ago we walked through what was coming. Now that it's live, here's what the ban actually covers, who slips through, and what it does (and doesn't) mean for your own budget. What took effect The White House announced the measures on Sept. 8, after Canada's own retaliation tariffs kicked in. The U.S. framed them as a response to Canada's treatment of American dairy, autos and alcohol, and to provinces pulling U.S. liquor from their shelves. The ban covers packaged Canadian beer (including non-alcoholic), wine, cider and spirits, plus whey products, molasses and motorcycles over 800cc. Many of the alcohol products were already facing a 50% U.S. tariff imposed in August; the ban ...

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Inflation Eases in May as Consumer Prices Rise at Slower Pace

 

A closely-watched report on U.S. inflation showed consumer prices cooled during the month of May, according to the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics released Wednesday morning. Here are the key points:

  1. Consumer Price Index (CPI) Trends:

    • The CPI remained flat over the previous month.
    • Prices rose 3.3% over the prior year in May, which is a deceleration from April’s 0.3% month-over-month increase and 3.4% annual gain in prices.
    • Both measures beat economist expectations.
  2. Factors Contributing to the Slowdown:

    • A decline in energy prices, led by a drop in gas prices, contributed to further downward pressure on headline CPI.
    • On a “core” basis (excluding volatile food and gas costs), prices in May climbed 0.2% over the prior month and 3.4% over last year — cooler than April’s data.
    • Again, both core measures exceeded economist estimates.
  3. Federal Reserve Implications:

    • The inflation report arrives just ahead of the central bank’s policy decision at 2 p.m. ET.
    • Investors are closely watching this data point to shape future Federal Reserve interest rate policy.

In summary, while inflation remains a concern, the May data suggests a moderation in price increases. The Federal Reserve’s response will be crucial in navigating the economic landscape.


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