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The Loonie Just Hit an 8-Week High — Here's What a Stronger Dollar Means for You

  August 11, 2026 Three weeks ago, we told you the Canadian dollar had crashed to a 14-month low . This week, it's doing the opposite: the loonie just touched its strongest level since June, and it's not a small bounce. If you shop online, travel south, or hold US stocks in your RRSP or TFSA, this move actually moves your numbers. What actually happened The Canadian dollar strengthened to about 1.393–1.394 per US dollar — roughly 71.7 to 71.8 US cents — its best level in eight weeks, according to Reuters and TradingEconomics data. That's a meaningful move: the loonie has gained close to 2% against the greenback since hitting 1.4248 on July 25, and it's up about 1.6% over the past month alone. THE TURNAROUND, IN THREE NUMBERS July 25 (14-month low) 1.4248 USD/CAD Today (8-week high) ~1.394 USD/CAD Move since July 25 Loonie up ~2.2% Two things are driving it. First, Friday's July jobs report blew past every forecast — the Canadian economy added 75,100 jobs against ...

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Blinken Embarks to Middle East for Sixth Gaza Diplomacy Push


 U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken returns to the Middle East on Wednesday for his sixth visit since the start of Israel’s war with Hamas. His mission is to facilitate discussions for a temporary ceasefire and the release of hostages held by Hamas.

Blinken will meet Saudi leaders in Jeddah and Egyptian leaders in Cairo to discuss talks brokered by Egypt and Qatar on an agreement, as well as efforts to get more aid into Gaza. The ongoing negotiations aim to alleviate the humanitarian crisis gripping Gaza. Additionally, Blinken will engage in conversations about arrangements for governance, security, and redevelopment in post-conflict Gaza.

The war was triggered when Hamas fighters crossed into Israel on a rampage, resulting in the loss of 1,200 lives and the capture of 253 hostages according to Israeli tallies. In response, Israel launched a retaliatory onslaught, resulting in the confirmed death of nearly 32,000 people in Hamas-run Gaza, with thousands more feared lost under the rubble.

Despite multiple visits to the U.S. ally on his previous regional swings, Blinken is not scheduled to visit Israel on this trip. Tensions have escalated between U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration and the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who recently rebuffed Biden’s plea to call off a planned ground assault in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, where more than a million displaced Palestinians are sheltering.

Blinken’s diplomatic efforts continue as the international community closely watches the situation unfold in the region.

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