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TSX Ends April Under Pressure as BoC and Fed Hold Rates Amid Iran Tensions

April 30, 2026 | Canadian Money Brief TSX Closes Lower to End April as Central Banks Hold Firm, Oil Stays Elevated Canadian equities slipped on Wednesday, with the S&P/TSX Composite Index falling 0.8% to close at 33,318 as both the Bank of Canada and the U.S. Federal Reserve held interest rates. Rate Holds on Both Sides of the Border The BoC kept its policy rate at 2.25%, maintaining a wait-and-see approach amid ongoing US-Iran tensions that are stoking inflationary fears. South of the border, the Fed held its benchmark rate in the 3.5%–3.75% range, citing the spike in oil prices and heightened economic uncertainty from the Iran conflict. Banks Dragged, Energy Lifted The rate holds weighed on Canada's big banks. BMO was down 2%, Royal Bank of Canada fell 1.3%, and TD dropped 0.8%. Energy stocks were a bright spot, however. Canadian Natural Resources gained nearly 2% while Agnico Eagle lost nearly 3%, as gold prices softened while crude surged. Oil and OPEC+ in Focus WT...
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Swiss Ski‑Resort Bar Skipped Six Years of Fire Checks Before Deadly Blaze

                    Forty people were killed in the fire at the bar in Switzerland's Crans-Montana.

A bar in the Swiss Alpine resort of Crans‑Montana had gone six years without mandatory fire‑safety inspections before a New Year’s Eve blaze killed 40 people. Local officials acknowledged that required annual checks had not been carried out since 2019, an oversight only uncovered after investigators began reviewing the venue’s compliance history.

The fire is believed to have started when sparkling candles attached to champagne bottles ignited sound‑proofing foam on the ceiling, causing flames to spread rapidly through the crowded basement bar. Many of the victims were teenagers celebrating the holiday.

The town’s mayor described the lapse in inspections as a serious failure and expressed deep regret. Prosecutors have opened a criminal investigation into the bar’s operators, who face potential charges including involuntary homicide and negligent fire‑setting.

The tragedy has intensified scrutiny of fire‑safety enforcement across Switzerland and renewed debate over whether indoor venues should be allowed to use decorative pyrotechnics.


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