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Gas Prices Are Spiking Again — Here's How to Protect Your Wallet as the Iran Conflict Escalates

  Published July 20, 2026 If it feels like you're filling up more often for the same money lately, you're not imagining it. Oil markets jolted higher to start the week, and Canadian drivers are almost certain to see it at the pump in the next few days. What just happened Brent crude — the global benchmark that drives Canadian gas pricing — jumped nearly 4% on Monday to trade above US$90 a barrel, its highest level since mid-June, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate traded near US$84. The move came after the United States and Iran escalated hostilities over the weekend, including strikes on vessels attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz and an attack on an oil facility in Kuwait. That strait matters enormously to your gas bill: roughly a fifth of the world's oil supply normally passes through it. When shipping through it slows or stalls, traders price in a "risk premium" almost immediately — and that shows up at Canadian pumps within days, not weeks. What it mea...

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Stock Market Today: Dow, S&P 500, Nasdaq Futures Signal Rebound from Fed-Fueled Rout

                                          

U.S. stock futures indicated a rebound Thursday morning following a significant sell-off triggered by the Federal Reserve's latest interest rate decision. Futures tied to the S&P 500 rose by 0.5%, while those for the tech-heavy Nasdaq climbed 0.6%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average futures also saw a 0.5% increase.

The Federal Reserve's decision to scale back the number of anticipated rate cuts next year to two, coupled with Chair Jerome Powell's cautious remarks, led markets to interpret the move as a "hawkish cut," resulting in steep declines for the S&P 500 and Nasdaq. The Dow, meanwhile, is experiencing its longest losing streak in 50 years.

Despite the recent downturn, the Dow remains up over 12% for the year. On the economic front, the third estimate for third-quarter U.S. GDP showed a growth rate of 3.1%, surpassing earlier estimates. Additionally, weekly unemployment claims fell to 220,000, down from 242,000 the previous week.

Investors are now closely watching the market's response to these developments, hoping for a rebound in the coming days.




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