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Canada’s Inflation Climbs to 2.4% as Gas Prices Surge to Record High

  Canada’s inflation rate accelerated to 2.4% in March , up from 1.8% in February, as the Iran war triggered the largest monthly gasoline price increase on record . Statistics Canada reported that gas prices surged 21.2% month‑over‑month , a supply‑shock response to Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz and broader Middle East instability.  Energy costs were the dominant driver of March inflation, with overall energy prices rising 3.9% year‑over‑year after a sharp decline the month before. Excluding gasoline, inflation would have eased to 2.2% , highlighting how concentrated the price shock was.  Food inflation offered mixed relief: grocery prices rose 4.4% , while fresh vegetables jumped 7.8% due to difficult growing conditions. Restaurant inflation cooled sharply as last year’s tax‑holiday distortions fell out of the annual comparison.  Economists note that while headline inflation spiked, core measures remained relatively tame , giving the Bank of Canada ro...
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Market Turmoil: U.S. Stocks Plunge Amid Trump Tariff Fears

 

U.S. stocks experienced a significant decline on Friday as concerns over President Donald Trump's tariff policies spread among businesses and consumers. The S&P 500 fell by 1.7%, marking its worst day in two months, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 748 points, or 1.7%, and the Nasdaq composite tumbled 2.2%.

The losses accelerated throughout the day following several weaker-than-expected economic reports. One report suggested that U.S. business activity is close to stalling, with growth slowing to a 17-month low. The preliminary report from S&P Global indicated that activity unexpectedly shrank for U.S. services businesses, with many in the survey reporting slumping optimism due to concerns about Washington.

Additionally, a separate report revealed that U.S. consumers are preparing for higher inflation, partly due to potential tariffs that could raise prices for various imports. The University of Michigan's survey showed that consumers broadly expect prices to be 4.3% higher 12 months from now, a significant jump from their forecast of 3.3% inflation last month.

The stock market's decline was widespread, with stocks of the smallest companies, whose profits are more closely tied to the strength of the U.S. economy, falling more than the rest of the market. The Russell 2000 index of small stocks dropped by 2.9%. Within the S&P 500 index, three out of every four stocks fell, including Big Tech stocks, airlines, and metals companies.

Despite the recent downturn, the U.S. stock market remains up for the year so far and is not far from its all-time high set earlier this week. However, Friday's reports have raised concerns about the resilience of the economy, and the losses on Wall Street were widespread.


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