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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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Wall Street Mixed as Red-Hot Chipmaker Nvidia Claws Back Losses

 

World stocks experienced mixed performance today, with Wall Street showing a quiet and varied session. The red-hot chipmaker Nvidia, which had seen a meteoric rise in recent weeks, contributed to the market’s mixed sentiment.

Nvidia’s Recovery

  • Nvidia’s stock rose 2.2% before the opening bell, signaling a partial recovery from its recent losses. The frenzy over artificial intelligence (AI) that had propelled Nvidia’s stock to new heights appeared to be cooling down.
  • Just last week, Nvidia briefly overtook Microsoft as Wall Street’s most valuable company. However, in the past three days, it had declined nearly 13%.

Other Market Highlights

  • Microsoft: Shares of Microsoft remained essentially flat after the European Union accused the software giant of violating antitrust rules related to its Teams messaging and videoconferencing app.
  • SolarEdge: Solar panel manufacturer SolarEdge faced challenges, with its stock tumbling more than 17% before the bell. Customer PM&M Electric, owing SolarEdge over $11 million, filed for bankruptcy. Additionally, SolarEdge announced plans to raise $300 million through the sale of convertible senior notes.
  • Epac: Toolmaker Epac slid more than 9% due to missed third-quarter sales targets and lower-than-expected fourth-quarter revenue guidance.
  • Consumer Confidence Report: Later today, the Conference Board will release the latest consumer confidence report. In May, U.S. consumers showed increased confidence despite elevated inflation and high interest rates.
  • Global Markets: In Europe, France’s CAC 40 lost 0.8%, Germany’s DAX sank 1%, and Britain’s FTSE 100 was 0.2% lower. Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 surged 1%, while the Hang Seng in Hong Kong recovered most of its daytime losses to end 0.3% higher.

Conclusion

Today’s market reflects a mix of optimism and caution, with Nvidia’s performance closely watched. 

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