Skip to main content

Featured

Wall Street Eyes Weekly Gain as Peace Hopes Lift Futures

  Wall Street Poised for Weekly Gain as Futures Climb on Middle East Peace Hopes Wall Street looked set to close the week on a positive note as U.S. equity futures climbed Friday, supported by renewed optimism that diplomatic progress in the Middle East could ease geopolitical tensions. Investors have been highly sensitive to any signs of de‑escalation, and this week’s developments helped unwind some of the risk premiums that had weighed on global markets. Oil prices, which surged earlier in the month on fears of supply disruptions, pulled back again as ceasefire discussions gained traction. Lower energy costs have helped cool inflation expectations, giving markets a bit more breathing room after a volatile stretch. Major U.S. indexes are now on track for a weekly gain, with tech and consumer stocks leading the rebound. Still, analysts caution that sentiment remains fragile: any setback in negotiations could quickly revive market turbulence. For Canadian investors, easing oil v...

article

Canada’s Inflation Eases to 2.3% in March, but Core Pressures Persist

Canada’s annual inflation rate unexpectedly slowed to 2.3% in March down from 2.6% in February, according to Statistics Canada. The decline was largely driven by lower gasoline and travel costs, which helped offset rising prices in other sectors.  

Despite the overall slowdown, core inflation measures remained elevated, signaling persistent underlying price pressures. The CPI-median, which tracks the central trend of price changes, held steady at 2.9%, while the CPI-trim, which excludes extreme price fluctuations, edged down slightly to 2.8%.  

The inflation report comes just ahead of the Bank of Canada’s monetary policy decision, scheduled for Wednesday. Analysts are closely watching whether the central bank will adjust interest rates in response to the latest data.  



Comments