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CUSMA Not Renewed: What the Trade Deal Impasse Means for Your Wallet

  July 2, 2026 | Trade & Economy The mandatory six-year review of Canada's most important trade agreement came and went this week — and it did not go the way Ottawa hoped. On July 1, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer confirmed that the United States will not renew the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) in its current form, sending the deal into a more uncertain, year-by-year footing right as Canadians are already navigating tariffs, a soft labour market, and a technical recession. Here is what actually happened, why it matters, and what it could mean for your budget in the months ahead. The short version CUSMA isn't dead. It remains legally in force until 2036. But instead of locking in a fresh 16-year term, the deal now shifts into annual reviews, with existing tariffs on steel, aluminum, autos and softwood lumber unresolved for now. What happened on July 1 CUSMA was built with a mandatory joint review every six years. If Canada, the U.S. and Mexico had a...

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U.S. Consumer Prices Rise in October, Slowing Progress Toward Low Inflation

 

U.S. consumer prices increased as anticipated in October, reflecting a continued but modest rise in inflation. According to the latest data from the Labor Department, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose by 0.2% for the fourth consecutive month. Over the past year, the CPI has advanced by 2.6%, up from 2.4% in September.

The core CPI, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, also saw a 0.3% increase in October, maintaining the same pace for the third month in a row. Annually, the core CPI has risen by 3.3%.

Economists had predicted these figures, indicating that while inflation is not accelerating, the progress toward achieving the Federal Reserve’s target of 2% inflation has slowed. This trend suggests that the Federal Reserve may be less inclined to implement further interest rate cuts in the near future.

The slight uptick in inflation is partly attributed to rising shelter costs, which accounted for more than half of the overall increase in prices. Despite the modest gains, the inflation rate remains significantly lower than the peak of 9.1% seen in June 2022.

As the Federal Reserve continues to monitor these developments, the economic outlook remains cautious, with potential implications for future monetary policy decisions.


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