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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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Stock Market Update: S&P 500 and Nasdaq Futures Climb as Fed Delivers and Meta Jumps

 


The stock market is showing positive momentum today, with futures for the S&P 500 and Nasdaq rising. This uptick comes on the heels of encouraging signals from the Federal Reserve and strong earnings reports from Meta Platforms.

Federal Reserve’s Impact: Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell has bolstered market confidence by suggesting that a rate cut could be on the table for September. This has increased traders’ expectations for a potential 25-basis-point reduction, with some even speculating a 50-basis-point cut.

Meta’s Strong Performance: Meta Platforms has seen a significant boost, with its shares climbing over 7% in pre-market trading. The company’s second-quarter earnings exceeded expectations, and its optimistic third-quarter sales forecast has further fueled investor enthusiasm.

Market Reactions: The positive news from Meta and the Federal Reserve has led to a rally in tech stocks. Futures on the S&P 500 and the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 are both up roughly 0.4%, while Dow Jones Industrial Average futures have edged up by 0.1%.

Looking Ahead: Investors are now turning their attention to upcoming earnings reports from other major tech companies, including Apple and Amazon, which are due after the bell. Additionally, the market is awaiting the release of the July jobs report, which will provide further insights into the labor market and its impact on Fed policy.

Stay tuned for more updates as the market continues to react to these developments.


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