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Markets Update — Friday, June 26, 2026: Global Tech Sell-Off Rattles Markets as TSX Holds Firm

  Friday, June 26, 2026 — Reporting on confirmed June 25 closing data. Asian and European figures reflect Friday session activity. 🇨🇦 Canada — TSX The S&P/TSX Composite Index closed Thursday at 34,850 , up 0.3% on the day — a relatively resilient showing while Wall Street struggled with a tech-driven selloff. Gains in the financial and mining sectors carried the index. The big Canadian banks were a bright spot: TD Bank added 0.9%, Royal Bank gained 0.4%, and BMO rose 0.9%. On the mining side, Agnico Eagle gained 1.7% as gold prices held near the $4,000 level. Technology names were the drag. Shopify fell 2.6%, Constellation Software lost 3.6%, and Celestica shed 0.7%, tracking the broader global selloff in tech stocks. Still, with Canadian tech making up a far smaller portion of the TSX than it does on U.S. indices, the damage was contained. Investors also parsed Thursday's Bank of Canada Summary of Deliberations, which confirmed policymakers are keeping monetary policy flexi...

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Trudeau Announces GST Holiday and $250 Cheques to Ease Holiday Costs

 

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has unveiled a series of measures aimed at alleviating financial pressures for Canadians during the holiday season. The announcement includes a two-month GST holiday on select goods and services, as well as $250 cheques for many Canadians.

Starting December 14, 2024, and running through February 15, 2025, the GST holiday will apply to a variety of items, including prepared foods, restaurant meals, snacks, children’s clothing and footwear, toys, books, and Christmas trees. This initiative is designed to provide immediate relief to families and individuals facing high costs during the festive period.

In addition to the GST holiday, the federal government will issue $250 cheques to Canadians who earned up to $150,000 in 2023. These cheques, part of the “Working Canadians Rebate,” are expected to be distributed in early spring 2025.

Trudeau emphasized that these measures are intended to help Canadians manage their expenses during a time of year that can be particularly financially challenging. “For two months, Canadians are going to get a real break on everything they do,” he said at a media event in Newmarket, Ontario.

Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland added that the GST holiday and rebate are part of the government’s broader efforts to support Canadians as the country continues to recover from the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

These initiatives are expected to save taxpayers an estimated $1.6 billion over the two-month period, providing significant relief to many households across the country.


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