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Gas Prices Are Spiking Again — Here's How to Protect Your Wallet as the Iran Conflict Escalates

  Published July 20, 2026 If it feels like you're filling up more often for the same money lately, you're not imagining it. Oil markets jolted higher to start the week, and Canadian drivers are almost certain to see it at the pump in the next few days. What just happened Brent crude — the global benchmark that drives Canadian gas pricing — jumped nearly 4% on Monday to trade above US$90 a barrel, its highest level since mid-June, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate traded near US$84. The move came after the United States and Iran escalated hostilities over the weekend, including strikes on vessels attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz and an attack on an oil facility in Kuwait. That strait matters enormously to your gas bill: roughly a fifth of the world's oil supply normally passes through it. When shipping through it slows or stalls, traders price in a "risk premium" almost immediately — and that shows up at Canadian pumps within days, not weeks. What it mea...

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Asian Stocks Mixed Amid Volatile Yen After Wall Street Climbs on Inflation Report

 

Global stocks exhibited mixed performance today, with the Japanese yen experiencing fluctuations following the latest U.S. update on inflation. Wall Street’s growing belief in potential relief on interest rates as early as September influenced market dynamics.

Key Points:

  • Yen Volatility: The yen oscillated between gains and losses, losing some ground against the U.S. dollar. Speculation arose that Japanese authorities might have intervened to amplify the impact of milder U.S. inflation data.

  • U.S. Futures: S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average futures edged 0.1% higher, reflecting optimism about interest rate relief.

  • European Markets: Germany’s DAX rose 0.3%, the CAC 40 in Paris gained 0.8%, and London’s FTSE 100 added 0.4%.

  • Asian Markets:

    • Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 index declined 2.5%.
    • Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index climbed 2.6%.
    • Shanghai Composite index remained nearly unchanged.
    • Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.9%.
    • South Korea’s Kospi slipped 1.2%.
    • Taiwan’s Taiex declined 2%.
  • Data Releases: Watch for the U.S. producer price index and inflation readings from Germany, France, and Italy later today.

  • Wall Street: Despite pullbacks for some tech giants, four out of five stocks in the S&P 500 index climbed.



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