23 January 2026
In this video: Market performance | Trade | Inflation | Energy | Economic outlook
- Investor optimism remains strong heading into 2026, underpinned by ambitious earnings expectations.
- China’s growing manufacturing presence is reshaping global trade dynamics.
- Canada enters 2026 facing a rare demographic headwind, with population growth turning negative for the first time in decades.
Canada enters 2026 amid a shifting global environment where financial markets remain resilient despite rising geopolitical tensions and renewed protectionism. Equity markets continue to draw support from strong investor expectations, even as reindustrialization efforts, particularly in the United States, drive higher demand for energy, electricity and critical inputs, adding to inflationary pressures. At home, Canada faces a rare inflection point as population growth slows materially, placing greater emphasis on productivity, business investment and foreign direct investment as key drivers of economic growth. Sustained demand for key commodities, notably copper and gold, could also provide a source of support for Canadian markets. Nancy Paquet and Stéfane Marion explore these dynamics and what they may signal for markets and the economy in the months ahead.
