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Oil Prices Are Spiking — Here's What It Means for Your Gas Tank and Grocery Bill

  Published July 17, 2026 Crude oil is trading near one-month highs this week, and if you've filled up your tank recently, you've probably already felt it. The culprit: an escalating conflict in the Middle East that's disrupting one of the world's most important oil shipping routes — and it's starting to show up at Canadian pumps and, eventually, on grocery store shelves. What's happening with oil prices West Texas Intermediate (WTI), the North American benchmark, has been trading around the $79–$80 per barrel range this week — up roughly 5% over the past month. Brent crude, the global benchmark that matters more for what Canadians pay at the pump, has been hovering near $85 per barrel, also near a one-month high. The spike traces back to renewed fighting between the U.S. and Iran. The U.S. reimposed a naval blockade on Iran and has intensified strikes, while Iran has responded with attacks on U.S. bases and threats to disrupt regional energy shipments further. ...

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Tech Rally Fatigue: Nvidia’s Impact on US Stocks


The US stock market remained relatively flat today, with the benchmark S&P 500 unchanged and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite gaining 0.2%. However, this stability is notable because it follows a recent surge driven by artificial intelligence (AI) stocks, particularly Nvidia (NVDA). Nvidia briefly held the title of the world’s most valuable company this week, but today it faced a decline of over 1%. Other chip stocks, including Broadcom (AVGO), Super Micro Computer (SMCI), and Qualcomm (QCOM), also dipped alongside Nvidia.

Investors are closely monitoring the broader health of the US economy and the path for interest rates. Former St. Louis Fed president James Bullard suggested that last week’s cool Consumer Price Index reading could lead to a rate cut in September. While around two-thirds of traders still expect rate cuts to begin then, uncertainties remain.

In summary, the AI-fueled rally showed signs of fatigue today, and Nvidia’s performance played a significant role in shaping market sentiment.

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