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The GST/HST Credit Has a New Name — And It's Paying 25% More

  Sunday, July 19, 2026 If you've relied on the quarterly GST/HST credit, that name is gone for good. Here's what replaced it, how much more it's worth, and whether you need to do anything to get it. For years, the GST/HST credit quietly landed in millions of Canadian bank accounts every three months — a modest, tax-free top-up meant to offset sales tax on everyday purchases. As of this month, that program no longer exists under its old name. It's now the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (CGEB) , and the federal government has permanently increased the payment by 25%, locked in for five years. If you already qualified for the GST/HST credit, you don't need to apply for anything new. But you should know what changed, because the numbers — and the timeline — are more involved than a simple rename. What actually changed The CGEB was first announced by the federal government in January 2026 as part of a broader affordability push, and it became law with the passa...

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Stock Market Today: Investors Weigh Earnings and Trump's Stance on China

                                     

US stock futures struggled on Friday to pick up on the recent rally as investors filtered through the latest batch of earnings and weighed Donald Trump's hints at a softer stance on China tariffs. Dow Jones Industrial Average futures (YM=F) fell almost 0.3%, while S&P 500 futures (ES=F) nudged below the flat line after the index hit its first record high of 2025 on Thursday. Contracts on the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 (NQ=F) were also little changed.

President Trump's call at Davos for cuts to US interest rates, oil prices, and taxes spurred investor optimism for his policies, buoying stocks. The major gauges are set to end the holiday-shortened week with gains above 2%, demonstrating the power of Trump's comments even as Wall Street questions his ability to order the changes. On Thursday, Trump said he'd "rather not" impose tariffs on China — a softening in stance that eased some fears over the potential for trade war. Chinese stocks (000300.SS) rose after the remarks in a Fox interview.

Spirits are also getting a boost from a strong start to earnings season, with Verizon (VZ) and American Express (AXP) on Friday's docket. But a key test is looming with Big Tech's big players set to report results next week. Meanwhile, Boeing (BA) shares slipped after the jet maker said it expects to book a $3.5 billion quarterly loss thanks to strikes and layoffs. Elsewhere in markets, oil (CL=F, BZ=F) prices gained on Thursday, but were still on track for a weekly loss as markets rode the Trump roller-coaster.

Investors were assessing not just the China shift but also the president's demand that OPEC bring down the cost of crude. Gold (GC=F) closed in on a record high as the dollar (DX-Y.NYB) pulled back, making the metal cheaper. Preliminary readings on US manufacturing and services activity in January will shed light on how the economy is faring ahead of the Federal Reserve's policy meeting next week.



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