Skip to main content

Featured

Iran–U.S. Negotiations & Shipping Disruptions: What It Means for Your Wallet

  🔴 Breaking — This Morning President Trump posted on social media Saturday that a peace deal with Iran is "largely negotiated" and will be announced shortly. The Washington Post reports (May 25, 2026) that the U.S. and Iran are actively working toward a framework deal that would extend the ceasefire and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Oil prices have already reacted — Brent crude fell more than 5% to around $98 a barrel on the news. After nearly three months of conflict, spiralling energy prices, and stalled talks, there is cautious optimism today that a diplomatic breakthrough between the United States and Iran could be imminent. But what exactly is being negotiated — and what does it actually mean for Canadians and consumers at the gas pump, the grocery store, and beyond? Here is everything you need to know, updated with today's latest developments. $4.51 U.S. avg. gas price/gallon — up 51% since the war began -5.2% Brent crude drop today on deal optimism (to ~$98/barre...

article

Canada’s economy shrinks in Q3 amid export and consumer woes

 


Here is a short article based on the web page you are viewing:

Canada’s economy shrinks in Q3 amid export and spending woes

Canada’s economy contracted by 1.1 per cent on an annualized basis in the third quarter of 2023, according to Statistics Canada. This was a much weaker result than expected by analysts and the Bank of Canada, which had forecast a slight growth of 0.1 per cent and 0.8 per cent, respectively.

The main factors behind the economic decline were a drop in exports, a slump in business investment, and a stagnation in consumer spending. Exports fell by 5.1 per cent, reflecting lower shipments of energy products, motor vehicles, and aircraft. Business investment decreased by 10.1 per cent, as firms reduced their spending on machinery and equipment, intellectual property, and non-residential structures. Consumer spending was flat, as households saved more of their income amid rising interest rates.

The only bright spots in the third quarter were government spending, which increased by 7.3 per cent, boosted by a one-time GST/HST credit payment, and residential housing investment, which rose by 8.3 per cent, driven by a surge in new construction.

The Canadian economy also performed poorly compared with the U.S. economy, which grew by 5.2 per cent in the same period. Canada has been more sensitive to the impact of higher interest rates, which have been raised by the Bank of Canada to 5 per cent from 0.25 per cent since early 2022. The central bank has recently signalled that it may pause or reverse its tightening cycle, as inflation has eased and economic growth has faltered.

Some economists believe that the third quarter contraction was a temporary setback and that the economy will rebound in the fourth quarter and beyond. Statistics Canada estimated that GDP grew by 0.2 per cent in October, indicating a modest recovery. However, others warn that the economy may face more headwinds in the new year, such as the ongoing supply chain disruptions, the spread of the new COVID-19 variant, and the uncertainty over the federal fiscal policy.

Comments