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5 Things to Know Today: Your Canadian Money Brief — June 2, 2026

  Tuesday, June 2, 2026  |  MoneySavings.ca Markets are mixed, a big government cheque is days away, and the Bank of Canada is just over a week from its next rate call. Here's what every Canadian should have on their radar this morning. 1 of 5 TSX Inches Lower as Gold Slips and Financials Feel the Heat The S&P/TSX Composite closed Monday at 34,735 points, down about 0.10% from Friday's session. It was a tale of two sectors: financials dragged on the index as RBC and TD each lost close to 1%, with CIBC shedding nearly 2%, while gold miners also pulled back — Agnico Eagle fell 3.5% and Barrick dropped close to 3%. On the bright side, energy stocks surged as oil prices rallied, with Canadian Natural Resources up nearly 3% and Suncor gaining over 3%. Shopify also climbed roughly 2% on enthusiasm around AI chip advances. Year-to-date, the TSX is up about 9.5% — trailing Japan's Nikkei (+31.8%) but ahead of the S&P 500 (+11.0%) for the period through June 1. 💡 Money Ti...

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Revolutionary Gene Therapy Restores Hearing in Deaf Toddler

 

In a remarkable medical breakthrough, an 18-month-old toddler named Opal Sandy has regained her hearing thanks to a pioneering gene therapy trial. Born deaf due to a rare genetic condition affecting the OTOF gene, which is responsible for producing a protein essential for hearing, Opal’s prospects for natural hearing were bleak. However, the innovative treatment at Cambridge University Hospitals in England has opened up a world of sound for her.

The procedure involved the infusion of a working copy of the OTOF gene into Opal’s right ear, a process that took a mere 16 minutes. Remarkably, within weeks, Opal began responding to loud noises, and after 24 weeks, she could hear whispers, indicating a near-normal level of hearing restoration.

Opal’s case is part of the Chord trial, which is recruiting more children from the UK, Spain, and the US to undergo similar treatment. The trial is being closely monitored, with participants followed up for five years to assess the long-term efficacy and safety of the therapy.

The success of this gene therapy is a beacon of hope for many suffering from genetic deafness, signaling the dawn of a new era in medical science where conditions once thought incurable are now within the realm of treatment. Opal’s story is not just a personal victory; it’s a milestone in genetic medicine, showcasing the incredible potential of gene therapy to change lives.

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