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Markets Digest Iran Peace Progress and Fed Rate-Hike Risk — June 22, 2026

  Markets are easing into a cautious start this Monday as investors return from a long weekend — U.S. markets were closed Friday for Juneteenth — and assess a mixed backdrop: tentative optimism over U.S.–Iran peace talks, a newly hawkish Federal Reserve, and a key week of economic data and earnings ahead. Oil is steadying, the Canadian dollar is under modest pressure, and Asian markets rallied while European and U.S. futures drifted slightly lower in early trading. 🍁 Canada — TSX & the Loonie The S&P/TSX Composite Index heads into Monday trading with a cautious tone, sitting near the 34,857 level after slipping 0.32% on Thursday — the last day Canadian markets were open. Energy stocks will be in focus as oil prices stabilize following weeks of volatility tied to the U.S.–Iran conflict and the partial reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. The Canadian dollar is trading at approximately 70.52 cents U.S. (CAD/USD: 0.7052), down about 0.22% on the session. The loonie remains und...

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Trump’s Tariff Threat: Canada as the 51st State?

 

In a controversial twist amid escalating trade tensions, President Donald Trump has again directed his ire at Canada. In a post on his Truth Social platform on Sunday, Trump claimed that the United States spends “hundreds of Billions of Dollars” subsidizing Canada and argued that without this subsidy, Canada “ceases to exist as a viable country.” He went on to suggest that Canada should simply join the United States as its “cherished 51st state,” touting benefits such as much lower taxes and superior military protection, and promising an end to tariffs on Canadian goods. 

The remark comes on the heels of the imposition of 25% tariffs on imports from Canada (and Mexico), a move aimed at curbing issues like illegal immigration and drug trafficking across the border. In response, Canada has retaliated with its own tariff measures, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has firmly rejected any notion of statehood, emphasizing that Canada’s sovereignty is non-negotiable.

Economic analysts warn that such aggressive tariff policies could lead to higher prices for American consumers and disrupt long-established trade relationships in North America. As trade partners brace for a prolonged dispute, critics dismiss Trump’s suggestion as little more than political theater designed to rally his base rather than a feasible policy shift.

The unfolding trade war continues to raise questions about the future of North American economic relations and whether such bold proposals could ever move beyond the realm of rhetoric.

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