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Gas Prices Are Finally Falling in Canada — Here's How Much You're Saving and What Comes Next

After weeks of painful price spikes driven by the U.S.-Iran conflict, Canadians are finally catching a break at the pump. The national average gas price dropped to 169.1 cents per litre on Monday, April 20 — down from a peak near 198 cents — as two things happened at once: Iran reopened the Strait of Hormuz to commercial traffic, and Prime Minister Mark Carney's federal fuel excise tax suspension came into effect. National Average 169.1¢/L ▼ Down from ~198¢/L peak Gas savings (excise tax) 10¢/L off gasoline until Sept. 7 Diesel savings 4¢/L off diesel until Sept. 7 WTI Crude (current) ~$87 ▼ Down from $120 peak What just happened — and why Since the U.S.-Iran conflict began in late February, Brent crude surged more than 55%, briefly topping $120 a barrel — the largest oil supply shock in the history of global markets, according to the Interna...

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Canada's Job Market Soars in December: 91,000 Jobs Added, Surpassing Expectations

 

Canada's economy experienced a remarkable surge in job growth in December 2024, adding an impressive 91,000 jobs, far exceeding economists' expectations of 25,000. This significant increase brought the unemployment rate down to 6.7% from 6.8% in November.

The job gains were primarily in full-time positions, with notable increases in educational services, health care and social assistance, finance, and transportation. The public sector saw the addition of 40,000 jobs, while the private sector added 27,000 jobs. Additionally, the number of self-employed individuals rose by 24,000, marking the first increase since February.

Despite the positive job growth, the average hourly wage rose by 3.8% year-over-year, a slight decline from previous months. Economists have noted that while the job market's performance was better than anticipated, there is still room for improvement, and further interest rate cuts may be necessary to reduce excess capacity in the economy.

Overall, the strong job market performance in December 2024 signals a positive end to the year and raises questions about the Bank of Canada's future interest rate decisions.



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