Glacier FarmMedia — The following is a glance at the news moving markets in Canada and globally.
- Canada’s unemployment rate edged up 0.2 points in February to 6.7 per cent, reported Statistics Canada. Employment declined by 84,000, with the largest losses in Quebec, British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Employment increased in Newfoundland and Labrador and was little changed elsewhere.
- Canadian manufacturing sales fell by 3.0 per cent in January, to C$68.7 billion, after rising 0.4 per cent in December, reported Statistics Canada. That marked the lowest level since May 2025.
- The United States economy grew at an annual rate of 0.7 per cent during the fourth quarter of 2025, dropping sharply from the 4.4 per cent gross domestic product growth reported in the previous quarter. The 43-day government shutdown contributed to the sluggish reading, as government spending and investment fell at a 16.7 per cent rate during the October to December period.
- The war in the Middle East remained the focal point of global markets on Friday. Heavy Israeli airstrikes on Tehran were reported, while Iran continued to launch drone strikes across the region. An Indian-flagged oil tanker reportedly made it through the Strait of Hormuz, but traffic at the strategic chokepoint continued to be severely limited overall. Crude oil prices were slightly lower on Friday, but still about US$30 per barrel above where they were before the start of the war two weeks ago.
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