Current Economics
Today's Market Brief — August 7, 2026
What's changed in markets since our last update on August 6 — the Bank of Canada has no new updates and is not repeated below.
Published 2026-08-07 · Educational information only
Markets Overview
Markets rose Friday after a surprisingly weak July jobs report boosted hopes for a Federal Reserve rate cut. The Dow, S&P 500, and Nasdaq all advanced, while the TSX eased slightly from Wednesday's record as a global pullback in chip stocks weighed on the index.
Canadian Equities (TSX)
The S&P/TSX Composite closed at 36,136, just below Wednesday's record high of 36,146.42, as weakness in chip stocks offset strength elsewhere.
U.S. Equities (S&P 500, Dow, Nasdaq)
U.S. stocks climbed Friday: the Dow rose about 0.3%, the S&P 500 gained about 0.5%, and the Nasdaq jumped 1.1% — putting the indexes near 54,050, 7,750, and 26,640 — after July's jobs report showed the economy unexpectedly lost 23,000 jobs versus the roughly 83,000 gain economists expected, with the prior two months' hiring revised down by a combined 103,000.
Bond Yields & Interest Rates
The U.S. 10-year Treasury yield fell to about 4.65%, down from Thursday's 4.67%, as the weak jobs data raised bets that the Fed will need to cut rates sooner.
Canadian Dollar (CAD/USD)
The loonie was little changed, with USD/CAD trading near 1.4012–1.4016.
Commodities (Oil & Gold)
Gold extended its surge, trading near US$4,356 an ounce after touching US$4,411 earlier in the morning, one of its highest levels in months. Oil also climbed, with Brent crude near US$86.04 a barrel, up about US$2.40 from Thursday morning.
Global Markets Snapshot
A weak U.S. jobs report reshaped the week's narrative, lifting rate-cut hopes even as gold and oil rose together — a shift from the opposite-direction pattern seen earlier in the week. Steep downward revisions to May and June hiring added to concerns about the labour market's underlying strength.
What This Means
Day-to-day market moves are normal and are not a reason to change a long-term plan on their own. If today's news raises questions about your own portfolio, protection, or goals, that is a good reason to book a 30-minute session rather than react alone.
Want to talk through what this means for you?
Markets move daily. Start with a 30-minute session to see how today's news connects to your own plan. No guaranteed outcomes are promised.
Book a 30-Minute Session About this data
Market and economic figures, headlines, and commentary on this page are gathered from third-party news outlets, financial data providers, and other public resources; we do not create or verify this underlying data ourselves. While updates are reviewed before publishing, third-party sources can be delayed, incomplete, corrected after the fact, or simply out of date by the time you read this, and market conditions can change within minutes. We make no warranty as to the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, or reliability of any information sourced from third parties, and we are not liable for any loss or decision made in reliance on it, including losses arising from outdated, inaccurate, or compromised third-party data. This page is for general education only and is not personalized financial, investment, tax, or legal advice — speak with a qualified advisor before acting on anything you read here.
This website is for general information only and does not provide individual financial, investment, insurance, tax, or legal advice. Insurance coverage, eligibility, premiums, exclusions, and policy terms depend on the insurer, product, underwriting, and individual circumstances. Speak with a qualified advisor before making financial or insurance decisions.