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Trade Tensions Take Toll: Canada Loses 33,000 Jobs in March

  Canada's labour market faced a significant setback in March, shedding 33,000 jobs—the largest monthly decline since January 2022. This drop pushed the unemployment rate up to 6.7%, a slight increase from February's 6.6%. The job losses were primarily concentrated in full-time positions, with 62,000 roles eliminated. Sectors such as wholesale and retail trade, as well as information, culture, and recreation, bore the brunt of the decline. However, some gains were observed in part-time employment and industries like utilities and personal services. Economists attribute this downturn to the escalating trade war with the United States, which has introduced tariffs on Canadian exports, including steel and aluminum. These measures have created uncertainty for businesses, leading to layoffs and a cautious approach to hiring. As Canada navigates these economic headwinds, policymakers and businesses alike face the challenge of mitigating the impact of trade tensions on the labour mark...

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Stock Market Today: World shares mixed after Wall Street’s 3rd straight winning week

 

According to a news article from MSN, world shares were mixed on Monday after Wall Street closed its third straight winning week with a tiny gain. 

Germany’s DAX fell 0.1% to 15,907.92, while France’s CAC 40 gained 0.3% to 7,256.93. Britain’s FTSE 100 was down 0.3% at 7,481.86. The future for the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average were virtually unchanged. Japan’s Nikkei 225 index broke its September peak, hitting a 33-year high, and then fell to 33,388.03, shedding 0.6%. 

The Hang Seng in Hong Kong added 1.6% to 17,732.36, and the Shanghai Composite index advanced 0.5% to 3,068.32. China announced on Monday that it would keep its benchmark lending rates unchanged as expected due to a weaker yuan and the need to assess the impact of recent stimulus measures on the economy.

 In South Korea, the Kospi was 0.9% higher, at 2,491.20. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 edged 0.1% higher to 7,058.40. Taiwan’s Taiex was little changed. The SET in Bangkok dropped 0.1% as the state planning agency announced Monday that Thailand’s economy grew slower than expected in the last quarter due to weakness in exports and agriculture, despite strong consumer spending and a recovery in tourism.

Markets hope inflation has cooled enough for the federal Reserve to finally stop its market-crunching hikes to interest rates


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