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5 Things to Know Today: Oil Tops $108, CPI Day, and the Investment Summit Kicks Off

  Monday, September 14, 2026 A busy Monday for your wallet: oil has punched through $108 a barrel on a second Middle East supply shock, Statistics Canada's August inflation report lands this morning, and Toronto is hosting the country's first-ever Investment Summit. Here's what's moving and what it means for you. 1. Oil jumps to a 4-month high after Saudi pipeline shutdown Brent crude touched roughly $108 a barrel and WTI neared $103 on Monday after Saudi Arabia shut down its East-West pipeline — a 7-million-barrel-a-day route that bypasses the Strait of Hormuz — following drone strikes near Medina. A planned Oman meeting between Iran and Gulf states to de-escalate Hormuz shipping tensions was also postponed over the weekend, removing a near-term path to calm. Both benchmarks are now up roughly 9% over the past week alone, and some bank forecasts flag $120 oil as back on the table if disruptions persist. What it means for you: Pump prices, which had been easing thanks ...

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Starbucks Workers Escalate Strike, Threatening Holiday Operations

 

Starbucks workers across the United States have launched a five-day strike, demanding better pay, staffing, and schedules. The strike, organized by the Starbucks Workers United union, began on December 20th in cities like Los Angeles, Chicago, and Seattle. The union warns that the strike could impact hundreds more stores by Christmas Eve.

Union members cite unresolved issues over wages and labor practices as key reasons for the protest. Despite earning an average of $21 an hour, baristas argue that this wage is inadequate given inflation and the high cost of living, especially since many employees don't receive 40-hour workweeks.

Starbucks has held multiple bargaining sessions with the union since April but claims that the union prematurely ended the latest session. The company has offered a 1.5% wage increase in future years, but the union has rejected this offer, demanding a more substantial raise.

As the holiday season approaches, the strike poses a significant challenge for Starbucks, which relies heavily on holiday sales. The union's actions reflect a broader trend of labor unrest in the service industry, with similar strikes occurring at other major companies.

The outcome of these negotiations remains uncertain, but the strike has already garnered significant attention and support from the public.



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