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Ottawa Backs Down on Digital Tax Dispute Amid Pressure from Trump White House

Canada has reportedly agreed to delay its planned digital services tax (DST) following pressure from former U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration, according to a recent statement from the White House. The tax, which was originally slated to target tech giants like Amazon, Meta, and Google, had been a major sticking point in U.S.-Canada trade discussions. The White House claimed Canada “caved” to U.S. demands after months of negotiations, with Trump’s team arguing the tax unfairly targeted American firms. The Canadian government, however, framed the delay as a strategic move to preserve economic stability and avoid retaliatory tariffs. Critics within Canada argue that the government’s decision reflects a growing trend of yielding to U.S. economic influence, while others say the delay is pragmatic given ongoing global talks about a coordinated approach to taxing digital revenues. The issue remains contentious, and observers are watching closely to see whether Canada will revive th...

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US Futures Rise as Inflation Cools Unexpectedly

                                            

US stock futures are on the rise today after a key report on consumer inflation surprised investors. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) declined 0.1% over the previous month, marking the first month-over-month decrease since 2020. Additionally, the annual gain in consumer prices was the slowest rise since early 2021, coming in at just 3.0% over the prior year in June.

Here are the highlights:

  • S&P 500 Futures: The broad index crossed 5,600 for the first time on Wednesday, and futures rose by 0.2% today.
  • Dow Jones Industrial Average Futures: These rose roughly 0.1%.
  • Nasdaq 100 Futures: Contracts on the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 also gained around 0.2%.

Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s recent comments have fueled expectations of interest-rate cuts, and today’s inflation data further bolstered bets on a cut by September. Approximately 87% of traders now expect such an outcome, according to the CME FedWatch tool.

In corporate news, Costco shares rose in pre-market trading after announcing its first membership fee hike since 2017. This move is seen as reflecting price pressures on consumers. Meanwhile, PepsiCo and Delta Air Lines reported earnings, setting the stage for big bank earnings in the second quarter.

Stay tuned for more updates as the market continues to react to economic data and corporate earnings.


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