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Weekly Market Snapshot — May 2, 2026: TSX Slips on Energy & Bank Pressure

Your weekly brief on what moved Canadian markets — and what to watch next. TSX at a Glance The S&P/TSX Composite Index ended Friday down 0.2% at 33,891 , underperforming its U.S. counterparts as pressure mounted from energy producers and banks amid a busy earnings season. Energy Sector Under Pressure Oil prices remained a key headwind for the week. WTI crude stayed volatile as diplomatic efforts between Iran and the U.S. showed limited progress, keeping inflation risks and supply disruptions front of mind for investors. On the equity side, Canadian Natural Resources and Suncor both dropped around 1.5%, while Imperial Oil sank 4% following its earnings release. TC Energy also fell over 1% after its quarterly report. Banks Feel the Pinch Canada's big banks didn't escape the week unscathed. Heavyweight financial names TD and RBC closed in the red, weighed down by pessimistic spending demand signals highlighted in the domestic GDP report released Thursday. Earni...

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Canada's Unemployment Rate Hits 6.8% in November: Highest Since January 2017

Canada's unemployment rate surged to 6.8% in November, reaching its highest level since January 2017, excluding the COVID-19 pandemic period. This increase comes despite the addition of 51,000 jobs during the month.

Statistics Canada's November labour force survey revealed that the rise in unemployment was driven by a growing number of people entering the job market, which outpaced job creation. The labour force participation rate increased by 0.3 percentage points.

Economists are closely watching these developments as the Bank of Canada prepares for its upcoming interest rate decision. With high interest rates cooling the labour market over the past year, many unemployed Canadians have faced longer periods without work.

The report also highlighted that 46.3% of unemployed Canadians in November had not worked in the last year or had never worked, up from 39.5% a year ago. Meanwhile, average hourly wages were up 4.1% from a year ago, marking a slowdown in annual wage growth.

As the country grapples with these economic challenges, the Bank of Canada's decision on interest rates will be crucial in shaping the future of the job market.



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