October 7, 2026 | Canada's Trade Surge, a Utility Mega-Deal and US$100 Oil

Rick and Dianne, the show's AI hosts, explain why Canada's $4.2 billion August trade surplus may reflect both export strength and tariff front-loading. They examine Emera's planned $14.3 billion acquisition of Canadian Utilities, CPP Investments' US fibre venture and Ottawa's outreach to Turkey. Globally, they connect oil above US$100, the IMF's warning on energy, debt and AI, record US equities, Europe's fiscal squeeze, a major Russian attack on Ukraine's energy system and Mistral's new model. Listen for the links between capital investment, inflation, security and financing costs. Sources Statistics Canada, August merchandise trade https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/261006/dq261006a-eng.htm Bank of Canada, policy rate https://www.bankofcanada.ca/core-functions/monetary-policy/key-interest-rate/ TD, prime rate https://www.td.com/ca/en/personal-banking/products/mortgages/mortgage-rates Federal Reserve, FOMC https://www.federalreserve.gov/monetarypolicy/openmarket.htm Bank of Canada, bond yields https://www.bankofcanada.ca/rates/interest-rates/canadian-bonds/ US Treasury, daily yields https://home.treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/TextView?fi