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Oil Swings, Records Fall, and Bank Earnings Roll In: Markets Update — May 28, 2026

  Thursday is shaping up to be an eventful one for markets. A sharp rebound in oil prices — triggered by fresh U.S. military strikes in Iran overnight — is rattling futures this morning, even as Wall Street closed at fresh records on Wednesday. Here in Canada, the TSX pulled back sharply, weighed down by energy-sector volatility and mixed signals from the big banks. Traders are also keeping a close eye on two major U.S. data releases due today: April PCE inflation and the Q1 GDP second estimate. Canada The TSX had a rough Wednesday. The S&P/TSX Composite shed 241.82 points — roughly 0.70% — to close at 34,412.05, as energy stocks were dragged lower by falling crude prices. The loonie dipped slightly as well, with the Canadian dollar trading at 72.29 cents U.S., compared with 72.40 cents the day before. It's a big week for Canadian bank earnings, and results so far have been mixed but largely solid. Bank of Nova Scotia and BMO Financial Group both reported stronger second-quar...
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Liberals and NDP Push GST Holiday Bill Through House of Commons


The House of Commons has passed legislation that will remove the federal sales tax for two months from a range of items, including children's toys, books, restaurant meals, and takeout, as well as beer and wine.

As expected, the NDP helped the minority Liberals push the exemption through Thursday night. The Conservatives voted against the bill, calling the measure a "temporary two-month tax trick," as did the Bloc Québécois. The bill, which the Liberals and NDP agreed to fast-track through the usual procedural steps, now goes to the Senate. Once passed, the legislation will provide a GST rebate beginning Dec. 14 and lasting until Feb. 15, 2025.

The Liberals originally pitched the tax holiday along with a plan to send $250 cheques to the 18.7 million people in Canada who worked in 2023 and earned $150,000 or less. However, some Canadians have raised concerns about being excluded from the millions who would receive those cheques. The NDP threatened to withhold support for the entire package if the government didn't split the promises into two pieces of legislation. The Liberals did not include the cheques measure in the bill the House of Commons passed Thursday night. It is unclear when they might present that legislation.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said in a media statement on Wednesday that his party will support the cheque measure later if the Liberals expand it to include more Canadians, "including seniors, people with disabilities and injured workers". Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has billed the tax holiday as an affordability measure aimed at alleviating cost-of-living pressures. Some economists have cautioned that the measure could have inflationary consequences later this spring.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said the government should instead adopt his policy suggestions by scrapping the carbon tax and removing the GST from new homes sold for under $1 million. "My tax cuts are not just about lowering costs. They're about sparking more production," he said.



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