Tuesday 13 October 2026 · archive

TST News

← 2026-10-11 All dates

Facts are dated to about 12 Oct 2026. Items tagged "Not verified today" had no reliable current news, so they carry background only. Links are to free-to-read pages where I could find them, though I cannot guarantee a page will stay free. Economics content is general information, not financial advice.

Headlines

Latest stories from free-to-read news sites, taken from each outlet's own news page on the morning of 13 Oct (the raw feeds could not be opened). Open a story for the detail.

Euronews · Europe and France

CP24 · Toronto and Canada

Al Jazeera · World

Global News · Toronto (headlines paraphrased)

L'Écho du Mardi · Vaucluse and Avignon

World

The big stories shaping politics, energy prices and markets.

Community: r/worldnews

Iran war and the Strait of Hormuz

Ongoing conflict · Riyadh airport shut

The Houthi campaign against Saudi Arabia entered a fourth day. Al Jazeera reports missiles fired at Riyadh for a third day running on Monday 12 October, after Saturday's strike on King Khalid International Airport that killed at least 13 and wounded more than 300 (the Houthis' own claim cited 12 killed, 309 hurt, so figures differ). Saudi authorities have closed the airport until Saturday and are investigating why air defences failed.

On Tuesday Trump said the Houthis are "misbehaving very badly" but has not said Washington will join in; the Houthis threaten a "swift and painful response" if it does. Oil felt it: Brent settled near $106.65 on Monday, its highest since mid-September, after drone strikes on tankers near Oman and in the Strait of Hormuz, where traffic remains disrupted.

Why it matters from Toronto: this is the oil-to-inflation-to-interest-rates chain that has made bond yields and ETF prices bumpy.

  • Riyadh airport strike, 10 Oct: at least 13 killed, more than 300 wounded (Al Jazeera); 12 killed, 309 hurt per Houthi-cited figures
  • Second strike, 11 Oct: 1 killed, 11 wounded; King Khalid airport closed until Saturday
  • Brent crude settled near $106.65 on 12 Oct; WTI near $93.74 (Yahoo Finance)
  • Hormuz: tanker traffic disrupted after drone strikes on tankers (UKMTO)

Read more (free to read)

If you're new to this

The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow stretch of sea between Iran to the north and Oman to the south, linking the Persian Gulf to the open ocean. Roughly a fifth of the world's oil, and a large share of its liquefied natural gas, passes through it. There is no easy alternative route for most of that cargo.

That is why any threat to ships there makes traders nervous. Even without a full closure, higher insurance costs and rerouted tankers push the price of oil up. Oil is an input to almost everything: petrol, flights, plastics, fertiliser and freight. When it rises, general inflation tends to rise too.

Inflation matters because central banks such as the Bank of Canada, the Bank of England and the US Federal Reserve respond to it by moving interest rates. Higher rates make borrowing dearer and usually weigh on bond prices and on shares, especially in growth sectors.

So a conflict thousands of kilometres away reaches a Toronto investor through fuel costs, mortgage rates and the value of an ETF portfolio.

Yemen adds a second front. The Houthis are an Iran-aligned movement that controls much of northern Yemen. A long-running truce had largely held since 2022, but Al Jazeera reports it has collapsed, with government forces launching an offensive on 4 October and the Houthis attacking Saudi Arabia.

As of 13 Oct 2026 · Al Jazeera, Yahoo Finance (oil prices, 12 Oct)

Ukraine war

Energy ceasefire disputed

Trump says the "energy ceasefire" is in place; Ukraine says it is not. Announced on Sunday 11 October, the truce has been met by fresh Russian strikes: Zelenskyy said Russia hit six energy facilities on Monday, and Euronews reports a drone strike killed a woman in Kyiv overnight. Kyiv says it was not consulted, and Moscow has not confirmed it agreed.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said talks on a possible energy ceasefire are continuing but rejected Zelenskyy's offer of a 60-day truce to allow elections: "we do not want a ceasefire." Meanwhile EU foreign ministers added around 1,600 people and entities to the Russia sanctions list, the largest expansion since the war began according to Kaja Kallas.

The war is also spreading at sea: Bulgaria's prime minister says two more ships were hit by drones in the Black Sea on Tuesday, one of them sinking, about a week after a similar incident.

  • Energy ceasefire announced by Trump: 11 Oct; Moscow has not confirmed (Euronews)
  • Russia hit six Ukrainian energy facilities on 12 Oct (Zelenskyy)
  • EU added about 1,600 names to Russia sanctions list (Al Jazeera)
  • Black Sea: Chelsea 3 hit by three drones, 15 crew rescued; second ship sank (Bulgarian PM)

Read more (free to read)

If you're new to this

In February 2022 Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which had been fighting Russian-backed forces in the east since 2014. Ukraine's Western backers have supplied weapons, money and training, and imposed sanctions on Russia.

Europe feels the war economically because Russia had been a major supplier of gas. Countries rebuilt their energy supplies, and higher costs fed into the inflation spike of 2022 to 2023.

The war also changed government spending. NATO members have pledged to spend more on defence, which squeezes budgets already stretched by ageing populations and high debt.

When you read about a ceasefire or talks, the markets usually watch three things: energy prices, defence-company shares, and the borrowing costs of European governments.

As of 13 Oct 2026 · Al Jazeera, Euronews

Toronto

City hall and the home teams.

Community: r/toronto · r/askTO

Mayoral election on 26 October

Election · 26 Oct

Thirteen days to go, and two polls now tell slightly different stories. Nanos for CP24 and CTV (30 September to 4 October, 755 residents) had Olivia Chow on 52.4% of decided voters and Brad Bradford on 42.6%. A Mainstreet Research poll of 1,000 residents on 6 and 7 October, released on Friday, was far closer: Chow 40.8%, Bradford 38.3%, a 2.9-point gap on first-choice support.

The two surveys count undecided voters differently, so they are not strictly comparable, but Bradford's camp will take heart. Chris Alexander, the former Conservative cabinet minister, suspended his campaign on 6 October and stays on the ballot.

Scarborough has become a key battleground: CTV counted six campaign stops each for Chow and Bradford there since early September, with transit (the unfunded Eglinton East LRT), housing and cost of living the main themes.

  • Election day: Monday 26 October 2026
  • Mainstreet (6–7 Oct, n=1,000, ±3.1): Chow 40.8%, Bradford 38.3% first choice; head-to-head 44.7% to 41.5%
  • Nanos/CP24 (30 Sep–4 Oct): Chow 52.4%, Bradford 42.6% of decided voters
  • Chris Alexander suspended his campaign on 6 Oct but remains on the ballot
  • Advance-voting turnout not verified

Read more (free to read)

If you're new to this

Toronto's mayor leads a council of 25 ward councillors plus the mayor. The mayor chairs council meetings, proposes the annual budget and represents the city to other governments. Since 2022 Ontario has also given the mayors of Toronto and Ottawa "strong mayor" powers, which let them propose budgets and hire senior staff with fewer council votes.

Much of what you notice as a resident sits with the city: property tax, garbage collection, the TTC, road maintenance, parks, libraries, shelters and zoning. Big items such as health care and the main income tax sit with the province and the federal government.

You vote only in your own ward for a councillor, but everyone votes for the mayor. To vote, you need to be on the voters list, which you can check through the city's election website, and you will get a voter notification card. Advance voting is usually offered before election day.

Why it matters beyond politics: the city's choices on development, transit funding and property tax shape rents, commute times and house prices, which feed into the wider economy.

As of 13 Oct 2026 · CBC (Mainstreet), CP24 (Nanos, Scarborough)

Leafs, Jays and Raptors

See the sport pages

Hockey night in Utah. The Maple Leafs (3-2-1, 7 points, riding a one-game win streak after Saturday's 6–3 win at Colorado) play the Utah Mammoth on Tuesday 13 October at 9 p.m. ET in Salt Lake City. Utah is 4-2-0 and its power play leads the NHL, with 10 goals from 25 chances.

The Blue Jays have been out of the playoffs since 23 September, and the Raptors open their season at home to the Bulls on Wednesday 21 October (both as of yesterday's reporting, not re-checked). Each team has its own page above.

Read more (free to read)

If you're new to this

Toronto has four major professional teams: the Maple Leafs (NHL ice hockey), Raptors (NBA basketball), Blue Jays (MLB baseball) and Argonauts (CFL Canadian football). Toronto FC plays in Major League Soccer.

Leafs and Raptors share Scotiabank Arena, and the Jays play at Rogers Centre.

If you are new to Toronto sport: the Maple Leafs (hockey), Blue Jays (baseball) and Raptors (basketball) are the city's three big-league teams. Their seasons overlap in October, which is why this is a busy month for Toronto fans.

As of 13 Oct 2026 · Fubo News preview; see the sport pages

Second Harvest trucks out of service

Local news · 11 Oct

Thieves have sidelined a charity's fleet. Second Harvest, the Toronto food-rescue charity, says seven of its trucks are out of service after catalytic converters were stolen over the Thanksgiving weekend; CBC places the break-in at its Etobicoke yard, and CP24 quotes the charity as "deeply disappointed and outraged".

The trucks collect surplus food and deliver it to agencies, so each day off the road means less food moving. No repair cost or restart date has been reported in the coverage found.

Read more (free to read)

If you're new to this

Second Harvest is a Toronto-based food rescue charity. It collects surplus food from businesses that would otherwise throw it away and passes it to community agencies that feed people.

A catalytic converter is part of a vehicle's exhaust system that reduces harmful emissions. It contains small amounts of valuable metals, which is why thieves target them and why replacing one can be costly.

Because food rescue depends on a fleet of vehicles keeping to a schedule, losing seven trucks at once can disrupt deliveries across a charity's network.

As of 13 Oct 2026 (latest coverage 11 Oct) · CP24, CBC, Global News

Thanksgiving meals, and rising demand

Local news · 12 Oct

Toronto's charities spent Thanksgiving Monday feeding the city. About 300 people sat down to a turkey dinner at Scott Mission, and Good Shepherd Ministries turned its cafeteria into a sit-down dinner for 1,600.

The warm meals came with a warning: both organizations report rising demand. Scott Mission's CEO, Rocky Dundas, says higher grocery prices and rent are pushing more people through the doors and that the mission is "at capacity".

  • Scott Mission: about 300 diners; Good Shepherd Ministries: 1,600
  • Financial Accountability Office (cited by CP24): homeless population up 23% since 2022

Read more (free to read)

If you're new to this

Scott Mission and Good Shepherd Ministries are long-standing Toronto charities that provide meals, shelter and support to people who are homeless or on low incomes.

Canadian Thanksgiving falls on the second Monday of October, so 12 October 2026 was the holiday. Families traditionally share a harvest meal, usually turkey, and charities hold large community dinners.

Food insecurity means not having reliable access to enough affordable food. It is tracked by public health agencies and shown in how busy food banks and meal programs are.

As of 12 Oct 2026 · CP24/CTV News

London, Windsor, Bournemouth and Finchampstead

The UK places you follow.

Community: r/london · r/bournemouth · r/ukpolitics

London: Burnham government and the Bank of England

Budget on 28 Oct

The Budget countdown is on, and the Bank of England is watching. Chancellor John Healey delivers his first Budget on Wednesday 28 October under Prime Minister Andy Burnham, and the IFS think tank is reported (Bloomberg headline, 12 October) to say he must find about £35 billion. Burnham and Healey were also reported to be meeting business leaders on 12 October to hear their tax worries.

Governor Andrew Bailey, speaking in Istanbul on 8 October, said the Bank's 'look-through' approach to temporary energy shocks only works if inflation expectations stay anchored. CPI inflation was 3.1% in the 12 months to August, and the Bank expects it to rise above 4% in the coming months as energy prices climb. Bank Rate stands at 3.75%, held on 17 September with three of nine members voting for 4%, and a rise to 4% is widely expected a week after the Budget, on 5 November.

The squeeze is visible in government borrowing: the 10-year gilt yield has climbed from about 4.2% in March to nearly 5.5%, so every pound of debt costs more to service.

  • Autumn Budget: Wednesday 28 October
  • Bank Rate: 3.75% (held 17 Sep, 6-3 vote; 3 voted for 4%)
  • Next MPC decision: 5 November; a rise to 4% is widely expected (City AM)
  • CPI inflation: 3.1% in August; Bank expects above 4% in coming months (City AM, 8 Oct)
  • 10-year gilt yield: nearly 5.5%, up from about 4.2% in March (City AM)
  • IFS: Chancellor must find about £35bn (Bloomberg headline, 12 Oct; article not opened)

Read more (free to read)

If you're new to this

The UK has a parliamentary system. The leader of the party that can command a majority in the House of Commons becomes Prime Minister. The Chancellor of the Exchequer is the finance minister, who sets taxes and the government's spending plans, usually announced in a Budget in the autumn.

The Bank of England is independent of the government. A nine-member Monetary Policy Committee sets Bank Rate, meeting eight times a year. Its job is to keep CPI inflation at 2%. If inflation is above the target, it holds rates high or raises them to cool spending. If it is below the target and the economy is weak, it cuts.

Bank Rate matters to ordinary people because mortgages, savings accounts and business loans follow it. It also influences gilt yields. Gilts are UK government bonds. When investors expect higher rates or worry about government borrowing, gilt yields rise and prices fall.

For a Canadian-based ETF investor the UK matters mainly through the pound against the Canadian dollar and through any UK shares inside a global fund.

As of 13 Oct 2026 · City AM (8 Oct), Pound Sterling Live, MoneySavingExpert, Bloomberg headline via search

Windsor

School closure plan · finances

Windsor's first schools are in the council's sights. On 12 October the Royal Borough announced a proposal to consult on closing Alexander First School, which serves the Broom Farm estate in Oakley Green. It has 84 pupils in a building for 150, a £1.2 million deficit, and 61 of 103 pupils in January were from service families. Cabinet votes on 20 October on whether to consult; no decision has been made.

Behind it sits a numbers problem: Windsor's 14 first schools offer 500 Reception places but are projected to have 407 starters this September and 382 next year, and the council expects eight to be in deficit this year. Across the borough, the council also needs £48.754 million of Exceptional Financial Support in 2026/27 (£111.9 million by 2030/31), and Maidenhead's Stafferton Way multi-storey reopened on 12 October after a £463,000 repair.

Travellers: all Paddington trains stop on 28 and 29 November, and there are no trains between Slough and Paddington from 27 December to 3 January. The Windsor & Eton Riverside line to Waterloo stays open.

  • Alexander First School: 84 pupils, capacity 150; Cabinet vote on consultation 20 Oct; proposed closure 31 Aug 2028
  • Exceptional Financial Support: £48.754m in 2026/27, estimated £111.9m by 2030/31
  • Stafferton Way car park (Maidenhead): 476 spaces, reopened 12 Oct after £463,000 works
  • Paddington trains stop 28-29 Nov; Slough-Paddington closed 27 Dec-3 Jan

Read more (free to read)

If you're new to this

Windsor is a town in Berkshire on the River Thames, about 25 miles west of central London. It is best known for Windsor Castle, which has been a royal residence for almost 1,000 years and is described as the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world.

The castle sits above the town, and the Thames runs past Eton College on the opposite bank. Nearby are the Great Park and Savill Garden. The Royal Windsor Horse Show and Ascot Racecourse draw crowds in the summer.

Exceptional Financial Support is permission from the government for a council to borrow to pay for day-to-day services. It is not a grant: it must be repaid with interest, which is why councils treat it as a last resort.

As of 13 Oct 2026 · Windsor Today (covers the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead)

Bournemouth

Council budget gap · football

Bournemouth's council has a hole to fill. BCP Council faces a £38.2 million budget gap for 2027/28 and a forecast overspend of more than £32 million this year, up from £27 million in the summer, according to the Bournemouth Post on 11 October. Unearmarked reserves stood at £29.3 million at 31 March, and a section 114 notice, which halts non-essential spending, is the backstop if the budget cannot be balanced. Scrutiny meets on 19 October and Cabinet on 28 October.

Smaller news: the council's SEND reform plan was approved on 8 October, unlocking a £161.85 million grant towards the schools deficit, and garden waste collection for 2027 will cost £73.50 a bin, with renewals due by 31 December.

On the pitch, AFC Bournemouth were 17th with 3 points and winless after a 5-1 defeat at Chelsea, as of the last round. They host Sturm Graz in the Europa League on Thursday 15 October, then Sunderland in the league on Sunday 18 October (carried from 12 Oct; not re-checked today).

  • BCP budget gap 2027/28: £38.2m; forecast overspend this year: over £32m
  • SEND plan approved 8 Oct: £161.85m grant; garden waste 2027: £73.50 a bin, renew by 31 Dec
  • Scrutiny: Mon 19 Oct, 6pm; Cabinet: Wed 28 Oct
  • AFC Bournemouth: 17th, 3 points (as of last round)
  • Next: v Sturm Graz Thu 15 Oct (Europa League), v Sunderland Sun 18 Oct

Read more (free to read)

Full table, results and fixtures →

If you're new to this

Bournemouth is a seaside town on England's south coast in Dorset, famous for about seven miles of sandy beach, a Victorian pier and cliffs cut by wooded gorges called chines. It grew as a Victorian resort and now supports tourism, finance and a large student population.

AFC Bournemouth are nicknamed the Cherries and play at the Vitality Stadium. The club climbed from the lower leagues and reached the Premier League in 2015, an unusually small club in a very rich league.

BCP Council is the unitary authority for Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, formed in 2019. A unitary authority runs all local services in its area, from bins and roads to social care. A section 114 notice is a formal warning that a council cannot balance its budget.

As of 13 Oct 2026 · Bournemouth Post (11 Oct and 8 Oct), footballwebpages.co.uk (league position carried from 12 Oct)

Finchampstead

Not verified today

Nothing current from Finchampstead in the news today. The parish council's site listed a Roads & Road Safety Committee meeting on Wednesday 14 October at 7:30pm at the FBC Centre (seen 12 October, not re-checked), with no agenda detail. The most useful background is the Western Gateway road scheme at the Finchampstead Road and Molly Millars Lane junction, which was due to run until March 2026; check the council for the junction's current state.

Read more (free to read)

If you're new to this

Finchampstead is a village and civil parish in the Borough of Wokingham, Berkshire, about two miles south of Wokingham town, five miles west of Bracknell and roughly 34 miles west of central London. It borders Hampshire to the south and is known as a wealthy, wooded commuter area.

Its hilltop church, St James, is largely Norman and sits within an older earthwork. A Roman road known as the Devil's Highway crosses the parish. The Ridges, a heathland and woodland area, and Wellingtonia Avenue, a line of giant redwoods planted in the 1860s, are local landmarks.

Local decisions are shared between Finchampstead Parish Council, which handles small local matters such as the neighbourhood plan, and Wokingham Borough Council, which handles planning applications, roads and schools. Housing proposals and traffic are the most common local stories, which is why many Wokingham Today articles about the village concern new homes and roadworks.

Background only · checked 13 Oct; local news found was dated 2021 to 2025

Paris and the Vaucluse

Paris, Sablet, Vaison-la-Romaine, Orange and Avignon.

Community: r/france

Paris: the 2027 budget

Budget debate starts 13 Oct

The 2027 budget reaches the floor today. The National Assembly opens debate on Tuesday 13 October, starting with the revenue half of the bill and working from the government's original text, not the version amended in committee. On Friday 9 October the finance committee rejected that revenue part by 31 votes to 3, with 2 abstentions.

The Socialists have filed a preliminary motion to reject the revenue part outright, to be voted on today; if it passes, the text goes straight to the Senate without Assembly examination. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has raised the possibility of Article 49.3, and La France insoumise says it would file a censure motion if he uses it. Minister Laurent Panifous did not rule out ordinances either.

The aim, said minister Roland Lescure, is a budget with a 5% deficit. Deputies have a constitutional limit of 70 days to examine the bill.

  • Floor debate opens Tue 13 Oct; Socialist motion to reject the revenue part voted the same day
  • Committee rejected the revenue part on 9 Oct: 31 votes to 3, 2 abstentions
  • Deficit target: 5% of GDP (Roland Lescure)
  • Constitutional limit for the Assembly: 70 days

Read more (free to read)

If you're new to this

A deficit is the gap between what a government spends and what it collects in a year. Debt is the running total of past deficits. The EU's rules ask members to keep deficits below 3% of GDP and debt below 60%, so France is well outside both.

France's president picks a prime minister, who runs the government and must have enough support in the National Assembly. To pass a budget without a vote, the government can use a constitutional provision known as Article 49.3. That lets it adopt the text unless a no-confidence motion succeeds, and a successful motion topples the government.

The OAT (Obligation assimilable du Trésor) is the French government bond. When investors worry about France's finances they demand a higher yield, and many compare it with Germany's Bund as a quick gauge of political stress.

For an investor, French politics matters because a budget crisis can hit French banks and shares, and the euro.

As of 13 Oct 2026 · LCP, Affiches Parisiennes, Club des Juristes

Sablet

Not verified today

Nothing newsworthy from Sablet in today's search. The village sits in wine country, where the rhythm is the autumn harvest and, after it, the winter vintage releases.

Read more (free to read)

If you're new to this

Sablet is a hilltop village in the Vaucluse, in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, below the jagged limestone ridge of the Dentelles de Montmirail. It is part of the Côtes du Rhône Villages appellation and is one of the villages allowed to put its own name on the label.

An appellation is a legally protected wine region. Rules fix which grapes may be grown and how, which is what makes a village name a guarantee of style. Reds here are mostly blends of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre.

The village is known for its stone lanes, its winegrowers' cellars and a market. Vaison-la-Romaine is a short drive to the north.

Background only · checked 13 Oct

Vaison-la-Romaine

Event · autumn festival

No fresh Vaison news in the last few days, but the autumn calendar is full. "Les étoiles d'automne 2026" is a friendly talent contest between villages of the Vaison Ventoux area, running from 26 September to 3 December, with the Séguret evening on Friday 16 October and the Vaison-la-Romaine round on Sunday 25 October.

The grand final is on Thursday 3 December at 19:00 at the Espace culturel Patrick Fabre in Vaison, where the winning talents compete for prizes of 200 to 500 euros.

  • Étoiles d'automne: 26 Sep–3 Dec, 13 evenings across 15 communes
  • Vaison round: Sun 25 Oct, 12:00; grand final Thu 3 Dec, 19:00

Read more (free to read)

If you're new to this

Vaison-la-Romaine is a small town on the river Ouvèze with two historic halves. The lower town holds some of the largest Roman excavations in France, at the Puymin and La Villasse quarters, with houses, mosaics, a theatre and a museum. Across the river, the medieval upper town (Haute-Ville) climbs to a ruined castle.

The two sides are joined by a single-arched Roman bridge. In September 1992 a catastrophic flood killed dozens of people and wrecked much of the lower town, but the Roman bridge held.

The town hosts a summer festival, Choralies, every third year, and weekly markets. It is a good base for walking in the Dentelles.

Source: Provence Guide, checked 13 Oct 2026

Orange

Local news · 12 Oct

Orange has a new police headquarters, and the town is proud of it. On Monday 12 October the new mayor, Jean-Dominique Artaud, inaugurated the municipal police's building, a 4.7 million euro investment that has been operating since March 2026 and houses 55 officers.

Inside are a crisis room that lets security partners share information with the mayor in real time and a tracked armoury. The town has 90 CCTV cameras, with 100 expected within weeks and 150 targeted by the end of the mandate. In 2025 the force took 7,500 calls and made nearly 4,000 patrol interventions.

  • Cost 4.7 million euros; 55 officers; 90 cameras (150 targeted)
  • 2025: 7,500 calls, nearly 4,000 patrol interventions

Read more (free to read)

If you're new to this

Orange is a town in the Vaucluse with two of the best-preserved Roman monuments in Europe, both on the UNESCO World Heritage list. The Roman theatre has an intact stage wall about 37 metres high, which is rare because most ancient theatres lost theirs. It still hosts opera and concerts, notably the Chorégies d'Orange festival each summer.

The Arc de Triomphe of Orange stands on the old road to Lyon. It is a triple-arched monument from the early Roman Empire, carved with scenes of battles and spoils.

The town's name is older than the fruit. It comes from the Roman Arausio. The Principality of Orange later passed to the House of Nassau, which is how the Dutch royal family got the name "Orange".

As of 12 Oct 2026 · Vaucluse Hebdo (mesinfos.fr)

Avignon

Local news · 12 Oct

A theatre booking has become a political row in Avignon. The Rouge-Gorge theatre cancelled its hire for the autumn "universités de rentrée" of Oser la France, the movement led by former LR deputy Julien Aubert, after pressure from about twenty collectives, associations and unions objecting to guests including Sarah Knafo and François Fillon. L'Écho du Mardi reported it on 12 October.

Vaucluse prefect Thierry Suquet said there was no proven public-order risk and warned that pressure to cancel a political event threatens public debate. Oser la France says the event will still take place on Saturday 17 October in Avignon, at a venue kept secret for security reasons.

Background from last week: part of a ceiling collapsed at 73 rue Bonneterie on 9 October, six flats were evacuated and nobody was hurt.

  • Oser la France event: Sat 17 Oct, new secret venue
  • Rue Bonneterie ceiling collapse: 9 Oct, six flats evacuated, no injuries

Read more (free to read)

If you're new to this

Avignon sits on the Rhône and was the seat of the Catholic popes from 1309 to 1377, when the papacy moved from Rome. The huge Gothic Palais des Papes is the legacy, and the old city's ramparts are largely intact. Both are UNESCO listed.

The Pont Saint-Bénézet, the bridge of the song "Sur le pont d'Avignon", was built in the 12th century. Repeated floods took out most of its arches, so it stops partway across the river.

Each July the city hosts the Festival d'Avignon, one of the biggest theatre festivals in the world, with a huge fringe called the Off.

Oser la France is a political movement led by Julien Aubert, a former member of parliament for Vaucluse. A prefect is the state's representative in each French département and is responsible for public order.

Source: L'Écho du Mardi, 12 Oct 2026; Avignon et Moi, 9 Oct

Sport

One page per sport, with news, tables, results and fixtures.

Tech and people

Technology and Tesla.

Community: r/technology · r/teslamotors

Tech advances

Apple event today · Starlink Mobile

Apple holds its 'Welcome home' event today, 13 October, and the bet is on the living room. AppleInsider expects a touch-screen smart-home display, reported by Mark Gurman to be called HomeView, with an A18 chip and a 6-inch square screen, shipping around mid-November. A HomePod mini refresh with Siri AI support and a new Apple TV 4K are also expected. These are expectations, not confirmed specs; bigger Mac and iPad launches are rumoured for a later October event.

SpaceX is aiming at your phone bill. On 8 October it agreed to buy a nationwide block of low-band wireless spectrum from Grain Management for about $8 billion in cash, according to a Wall Street Journal report carried by The Star. It still needs US regulatory approval, but T-Mobile, AT&T and Verizon shares fell 8.5% to 13% on 9 October while tower companies rose.

In AI, a survey of 300 senior engineering leaders by debugging firm Undo found 81% had a production incident linked to an AI coding tool in the last six months. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella wrote that models should be assumed compromised and contained from the start, with a mandatory emergency brake (AI Weekly digest, 12 Oct; single-source).

  • Apple 'Welcome home' event: 13 Oct; HomeView hub expected, shipping about mid-November (reports)
  • SpaceX spectrum deal: about $8bn cash, announced 8 Oct, needs FCC approval
  • US carriers fell 8.5%-13% on 9 Oct; tower stocks rose
  • Undo survey: 81% of 300 engineering leaders had an AI-coding-linked incident in six months

Read more (free to read)

If you're new to this

A foldable phone has a flexible screen that bends at a hinge. The open phone behaves like a small tablet and the folded phone fits in a pocket. The trade-offs are price, visible creases, thickness and durability.

An AI assistant (a large language model) is software trained on huge amounts of text to predict and generate language. It does not look things up unless connected to search, and it can make mistakes, so important facts need checking.

Both trends depend on better chips. Chip makers and the data centres that run AI are among the biggest drivers of stock markets, which is why technology weights matter in your ETFs.

Spectrum is the range of radio frequencies that carry phone signals. Low-band spectrum travels far and passes through walls, which makes it valuable for covering large areas. Owning it would let a satellite company link directly to ordinary phones.

A smart-home hub is a screen or speaker that controls lights, locks, heating and cameras in one place. Apple, Google and Amazon all compete here, and the new AI assistants are meant to make them easier to talk to.

As of 13 Oct 2026 · AppleInsider, AI Weekly, The Star (WSJ report)

Tesla

Roadster 15 Oct · Q3 call 21 Oct

Tesla's Roadster reveal is now Thursday 15 October. The event was due on 1 October but was moved two weeks because it can only be held outdoors in Austin, Texas, and Tesla blamed weather. Reservations reopened last month with $50,000 deposits, pricing has not been published, and The Information has reported a version with SpaceX cold-gas thrusters (not confirmed).

The numbers are better than feared. Tesla delivered 486,532 vehicles in the third quarter against a Bloomberg consensus of about 463,000, roughly 2% below a year earlier, and produced 464,391. Shares rose about 4% on the news (Yahoo Finance). Full results follow after the bell on Wednesday 21 October, call at 5:30 pm Eastern.

Also in the pipeline, the Semi truck has begun volume production at its Nevada factory, which a Daily Upside report says can build up to 50,000 a year.

  • Roadster reveal: Thu 15 Oct, Austin (moved from 1 Oct due to weather)
  • Q3 deliveries: 486,532 vs about 463,000 expected; production 464,391 (Yahoo Finance)
  • Earnings: Wed 21 Oct after the bell; call 5:30 pm ET
  • Semi truck: volume production in Nevada, up to 50,000 a year (Daily Upside)

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If you're new to this

A quarterly earnings call is where a listed company reports its revenue and profit for the last three months, and executives answer analysts' questions. The share price often moves sharply on the news, so investors watch for how results compare with expectations.

For Tesla, the key figures are vehicle deliveries, the gross margin on each car, energy-storage sales and spending on new projects. The company also talks up its autonomous driving and robotaxi plans, which is much of the reason for its valuation.

The Roadster is a long-promised sports car. The Semi is an electric lorry meant to move freight cheaply.

As of 13 Oct 2026 · Electrek, Yahoo Finance, Tesla Oracle, Daily Upside

Following

People worth keeping an eye on: what they are up to and who they are.

Community: r/mkbhd · r/JoeRogan · r/elonmusk

Elon Musk

Roadster Thursday · Starlink Mobile

Musk has a busy week. Tesla's Roadster, shown off with SpaceX cold-gas thruster talk, is now due to be revealed on Thursday 15 October in Austin after a weather delay from 1 October. Meanwhile SpaceX, now trading as SpaceXAI after combining with xAI, the company behind the Grok chatbot, agreed on 8 October to buy low-band wireless spectrum for about $8 billion, a step towards a Starlink Mobile service.

On the AI side, Grok 4.5 launched in July; search results also carry headlines about later Grok versions, but I did not open them, so treat version numbers beyond 4.5 as unverified.

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Elon Musk runs or owns several companies: Tesla (cars and energy), SpaceX (rockets and the Starlink satellite internet service), X (the social network, previously Twitter) and xAI.

SpaceX builds the Falcon rockets that fly cargo and astronauts to orbit, and is developing Starship, a much larger reusable rocket. Starlink sells internet from thousands of satellites.

xAI was founded to build AI systems and released the Grok chatbot. Merging it into SpaceX ties AI development to the cash and computing resources of a large, privately held company.

As of 13 Oct 2026 · Electrek, The Star (WSJ report), Engadget

Marques Brownlee (MKBHD)

About 21M subscribers

Marques Brownlee put the Galaxy Z Fold 8 through its paces in a review around 1 August. It's a good place to see how a fold-out phone holds up in daily use.

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If you're new to this

Marques Brownlee goes by MKBHD and runs one of the biggest technology review channels on YouTube, with around 21 million subscribers. He is known for clean, calm video and straight verdicts on phones, laptops, cars and gadgets.

If you are new to his reviews, watch for the ones that cover the "daily driver" experience, where he lives with a product for weeks. He also hosts podcasts and interviews executives.

Brownlee also co-hosts the Waveform podcast. His reviews typically weigh the camera, screen, battery life and software updates, which is useful when you are deciding whether a pricey new phone is worth it.

As of 1 Aug 2026 review · no newer video verified on 13 Oct

Joe Rogan

Recent guests

The latest episodes: #2563 with Dan Richards (8 Oct, lost civilizations), #2562 with biblical scholar Dan McClellan (7 Oct) and #2561 with LL Cool J (6 Oct). The McClellan conversation was picked up by the Washington Post on 11 October. The JRE MMA Show #186 with UFC heavyweight Sean Sharaf was on 1 October, and #2560 featured former Air Force intelligence officer David Grusch on UAPs.

No episode newer than #2563 appeared in the lists checked on 13 October.

Read more (free to read)

If you're new to this

The Joe Rogan Experience is a long-form interview podcast, often running two to three hours, covering comedy, science, health, politics and fighting. Rogan is also a stand-up comedian and a UFC commentator.

It is one of the most-listened-to podcasts in the world, so the guests he books and the claims they make often get picked up by news outlets.

Rogan hosts one of the most listened-to podcasts in the world, with very long, free-ranging conversations. He is also known as a UFC commentator and former TV presenter.

As of 13 Oct 2026 · JRE Library, Muck Rack episode list

Jimmy Carr

Canada tour

Jimmy Carr is on the road in Canada. His "Laughs Funny" tour runs from 16 September to 22 November, and listings show a Toronto date on 16 October.

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If you're new to this

Jimmy Carr is a British stand-up comedian known for rapid-fire one-liners and a deadpan delivery, often with very dark humour. His shows are for adults.

He is also a familiar face on British TV, hosting 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown and appearing on panel shows. His stand-up specials are on streaming services.

Carr is a British comedian known for rapid-fire one-liners and dark humour. Check the venue's own page before you buy tickets or travel.

Tour listing as of 10 Oct 2026; could not re-verify on 13 Oct

Ross Edgley

Older news

Ross Edgley's big Iceland swim is a story from last year. 220 Triathlon reports he finished a swim of more than 1,000 miles around Iceland at Nauthólsvík Beach in Reykjavik after starting in May; a UPI report dated 9 September 2025 points to a 2025 finish, and a documentary, The Great Icelandic Swim, was set for Channel 4 on 7 February 2026.

I could not verify any new Edgley news this week.

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If you're new to this

Ross Edgley is a British endurance athlete. In 2018 he became the first person to swim around Great Britain, which took 157 days and about 1,800 miles. He is also known for dragging a heavy log or tyre across long distances as training, and for his strength work.

His channel and books describe how he builds a body that can handle extreme volume. Swimming in cold water for hours is hard because the body loses heat and the salt damages skin.

Edgley is a British strongman-style endurance athlete, well known for swimming around Great Britain in 2018, a feat that took 62 days.

Source: 220 Triathlon, UPI (2025 story); no 2026 news verified on 13 Oct

Brian Cox

UK tour this week

Professor Brian Cox is on a UK arena run this week. His Emergence show, the follow-up to Horizons, mixes cosmology, biology, philosophy and history with big LED screens, sound and lighting. The official tour page lists Sheffield (Utilita Arena) on Thursday 15 October, Liverpool (M&S Bank Arena) on the 16th, Newcastle on the 17th and Glasgow (OVO Hydro) on the 18th.

Then it is Brighton on 21 and 22 October, London's O2 on Friday 23 October, and Plymouth on 24 and 25 October (the 24th shown as sold out). I found no new Cox TV series confirmed today.

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If you're new to this

Brian Cox is a British particle physicist and a professor at the University of Manchester, and he is best known as the presenter of popular science programmes. He explains very large ideas, such as how the universe began and how stars work, in plain language.

Emergence is a live show rather than a TV series: he walks an audience through how complex things, from galaxies to living cells and minds, can arise from simple rules. No physics is needed to enjoy it.

Cox is a professor of particle physics at the University of Manchester and a popular science presenter. Before science broadcasting he played keyboards in the pop band D:Ream.

Tour listing as of 13 Oct 2026 · briancoxlive.co.uk (official)

SpaceX

Cargo Dragon today

Two Falcon 9s are on the clock around now. Starlink 15-25 was scheduled for 5:28 pm Pacific on Monday 12 October (0028 UTC on the 13th) from Vandenberg, carrying 27 Starlink satellites on booster B1088's 20th flight; I could not confirm the outcome.

Then comes cargo. CRS-35, SpaceX's 35th NASA resupply flight, is set for 6:33 am Eastern (1033 UTC) today, Tuesday 13 October, from Cape Canaveral with about 6,300 pounds of supplies, including the station's final set of roll-out solar arrays, artificial-retina hardware and brain organoids. Docking is planned for about 11 am Eastern on Thursday 15 October. On 28 September, Starship returned from a three-hour flight with the first Starlink V3 satellites, and on 8 October SpaceX agreed to buy wireless spectrum for about $8 billion.

  • Starlink 15-25: 12 Oct 5:28pm PDT (13 Oct 0028 UTC), Vandenberg, 27 satellites; outcome not confirmed
  • CRS-35 cargo Dragon: Tue 13 Oct, 6:33am EDT (1033 UTC), Cape Canaveral; ISS docking Thu 15 Oct about 11am EDT
  • Dragon stays about a month, then splashes down off California
  • Spectrum purchase: about $8bn, announced 8 Oct

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If you're new to this

SpaceX builds and launches rockets for NASA, the military and companies. Its Falcon 9 rockets reuse their boosters, which has made launches far cheaper and far more frequent.

Starship is its giant next-generation rocket, designed to be fully reusable and to carry people and cargo to the Moon and Mars. Each test flight teaches the engineers what to fix next, which is why SpaceX launches early and often.

Starlink is the satellite internet network, with thousands of satellites in low orbit. 'V3' is the next, larger generation of those satellites.

As of 13 Oct 2026 · Spaceflight Now, Space.com

NASA

Space

NASA's week has been busy on and off the planet. On 12 October the Perseverance team posted that the rover set an off-world record for total distance driven (headline seen; the post itself was not opened). NASA also published its preview of CRS-35, a launch carrying health research to the station today, with Dragon arriving on 15 October.

Earlier: Crew-12 splashed down on 8 October, Webb measured the distance to the farthest fast radio burst yet, SPHEREx found a menagerie of brown dwarfs, and on 9 October a Cygnus XL cargo ship left the station and NASA showed next-generation heat shield tests. The Artemis II crew's lunar science data and images were released on 7 October.

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If you're new to this

NASA is the US space agency. It runs the International Space Station, sends robotic probes across the solar system and operates telescopes such as James Webb.

Artemis is its programme to return people to the Moon. Artemis II was the first crewed flight around the Moon in that programme, so the data it brought back is the first fresh look from people near the Moon in decades.

A fast radio burst is a flash of radio waves from deep space lasting a fraction of a second. Brown dwarfs are objects too big to be planets and too small to be true stars.

As of 13 Oct 2026 · NASA recently-published list (headlines)

Rotten Tomatoes: what's worth watching

Top new films and TV

The best-reviewed new arrivals, by Tomatometer on Rotten Tomatoes' browse pages on 13 October. In cinemas: Once Upon a Time in Harlem (100%, opens 16 Oct), Case 137 (96%, opens 16 Oct), Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother (97%) and California Schemin' (93%, both opened 9 Oct). At home: Spider-Man: Brand New Day (90%, from 6 Oct), Late Fame (93%) and Black Zombie (100%).

On TV: The Drop: A Snowfall Saga (100%), Youth (97%), Time (96%), and Blue Lights and Outlander: Blood of My Blood (both 94%) lead the list of new series. Small samples can produce perfect scores, so check the critic count before trusting a number.

  • Films: Once Upon a Time in Harlem 100%; Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother 97%; Case 137 96%
  • TV: The Drop: A Snowfall Saga 100%; Youth 97%; Time 96%; Blue Lights 94%

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If you're new to this

Rotten Tomatoes collects reviews from professional critics and turns them into a percentage called the Tomatometer. A film marked 'Certified Fresh' is both well reviewed and reviewed by plenty of critics.

A high score does not mean 'popular'. Small films often score 100% from a handful of reviews, so check how many critics there are before you trust a number.

The Tomatometer is the percentage of critics' reviews that are positive, not an average score. A film at 90% means nine in ten reviews were favourable, not that it is rated 9 out of 10.

As of 13 Oct 2026 · Rotten Tomatoes browse pages (Tomatometer, critic counts not shown)

Economics for an ETF investor

Community: r/PersonalFinanceCanada · r/JustBuyXEQT · r/CanadianInvestor

CountryPolicy rateInflationNotes
Canada2.25% (next: 28 Oct; hike odds about 25%)3.0% (Aug, Statistics Canada)Lost 68,300 jobs in Sept; unemployment 6.5%. September CPI due 19 Oct. TSX 35,665 on 9 Oct vs August record near 36,660.
United States3.75–4.00% (Fed, raised 16 Sep)3.4% (Aug)September CPI due Wed 14 Oct (forecast near 3.7%). Next FOMC 28 Oct. 10-year yield just under 5.25% on 9 Oct.
United Kingdom3.75% (next: 5 Nov; rise widely priced)3.1% (Aug)Held since Dec 2025. Budget 28 Oct. 10-year gilt 5.51% on 8 Oct, highest since 2007.
FranceECB deposit rate 2.50% (raised 10 Sep)3.0% (Sept, preliminary)Deficit 5.4% of GDP. 10-year OAT about 4.86% on 12 Oct (peak above 5% in late Sept). Budget debate starts 13 Oct.
China1-year LPR 3.0%; 7-day repo 1.4%0.8% (Aug)Q2 GDP growth 4.3%; PPI +3.8% in Aug. September data not yet verified.

Canada: where things stand

Jobs shock · BoC 28 Oct

Canada's jobs market took a punch last week. Statistics Canada reported on 9 October that the economy lost 68,300 jobs in September, against a forecast gain of about 9,000, after losing 41,700 in August, and the unemployment rate rose to 6.5%. That has cooled talk of a Bank of Canada rate rise.

The policy rate is 2.25% and the next decision is on 28 October; after the data, market odds of a quarter-point hike that day fell to roughly 25% from about 40%, with a hike now expected by December (Canadian Press via Advisor.ca; FXStreet). Inflation was 3.0% in August, unchanged from July, with gasoline up 22.8% on a year earlier and CPI excluding gasoline at 2.4% (Statistics Canada via Advisor.ca). September's CPI is due on 19 October.

Markets: the S&P/TSX Composite closed at 35,664.62 on Friday 9 October, about 2.7% below its August record near 36,660, and the loonie slipped to about 70.07 US cents, an 18-month low. Monday 12 October was Thanksgiving in Canada, so no fresh TSX close is available; the next one is today's.

  • Policy rate: 2.25%, next decision 28 Oct (hike odds about 25%)
  • Jobs, Sept: –68,300; unemployment 6.5%
  • CPI inflation: 3.0% (August, released 14 Sep); September CPI on 19 Oct
  • S&P/TSX: 35,664.62 on 9 Oct (latest verified close; August record near 36,660)
  • Canadian dollar: about 70.07 US cents on 9 Oct

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If you're new to this

The Bank of Canada sets its overnight policy rate, the rate that banks charge each other, and uses it to steer inflation toward 2%. Commercial banks set their prime rate from it, which drives variable mortgages and lines of credit.

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) measures how much a typical basket of goods and services costs, compared with a year earlier. When inflation is above target, the bank is less likely to cut rates.

The S&P/TSX Composite is the main Canadian share index. It is heavy in banks, energy and mining, so it rises and falls with commodity prices and financial-sector earnings, and is less weighted to technology than US indexes.

The Canadian dollar also matters. When oil rises it often strengthens, which changes the value of any US or international assets you hold.

As of 13 Oct 2026 · latest verified market close 9 Oct · CP24/Canadian Press, BNN Bloomberg, FXStreet, Advisor.ca (Statistics Canada CPI)

United States: rates rising again

Fed hiked 16 Sep · CPI Wed

The Fed has changed direction, and the bond market is feeling it. The target range is 3.75–4.00% after the 16 September quarter-point increase, with the next decision on 28 October. The 10-year Treasury yield was just under 5.25% on Friday 9 October after touching a 24-year high near 5.37% on 7 October (Yahoo Finance).

Inflation is the next test: August CPI was 3.4% on a year earlier (core 2.4%), and September's report lands on Wednesday 14 October at 8:30 am ET, with forecasters looking for headline inflation near 3.7% (Admiral Markets preview, a forecast, not an official figure).

Shares have held up: on Friday 9 October the S&P 500 closed at 7,811.54 and the Nasdaq at 27,366.17, its fourth straight weekly gain. I could not verify Monday's close today; US bond markets were shut for Columbus Day.

  • Fed target range: 3.75–4.00% (raised 16 Sep); next FOMC 28 Oct
  • US CPI: 3.4% in August; September CPI due 14 Oct (consensus about 3.7%)
  • 10-year Treasury yield: just under 5.25% on 9 Oct; high near 5.37% on 7 Oct
  • S&P 500: 7,811.54 on 9 Oct (latest verified close)

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If you're new to this

The Federal Reserve is the US central bank. Its policy committee sets a target range for the federal funds rate, and that rate anchors borrowing costs worldwide because the US dollar is the world's main reserve currency.

When the Fed raises rates, newly issued bonds pay more, so existing bonds with lower rates fall in price. High rates also make future profits worth less today, which hurts fast-growing technology shares most.

Because the S&P 500 and Nasdaq are such large parts of global equity funds, a change in US policy can move your ETF even if you hold no US-specific fund.

As of 13 Oct 2026 · latest verified close 9 Oct · Yahoo Finance, BNN Bloomberg, Admiral Markets (CPI forecast)

United Kingdom and France

Europe

Two neighbours, one squeeze: expensive borrowing, and both tilting towards higher rates. The UK holds Bank Rate at 3.75%, where it has sat since December 2025, while inflation hit 3.1% in August on a 23% jump in motor-fuel prices. Markets price a hike on 5 November, and the 10-year gilt yield reached 5.51% on 8 October, the highest since July 2007, before easing above 5.4% on 9 October (Trading Economics).

In France, inflation jumped to 3.0% in September (preliminary, INSEE data via Trading Economics), the highest since February 2024, with energy up 21.2%. The 10-year OAT yield peaked above 5% in late September, was 4.85% on 9 October and about 4.86% on 12 October, with the gap over German Bunds near 135 basis points on 9 October. The ECB raised its deposit rate 25 basis points to 2.50% on 10 September, and markets price another rise by year-end. France is trying to cut a 5.4% deficit; sources differ on its debt, at roughly 119% to 122% of GDP.

  • UK Bank Rate: 3.75%; hike on 5 Nov widely priced; UK Budget 28 Oct
  • UK CPI: 3.1% (Aug)
  • UK 10-year gilt: 5.51% on 8 Oct (highest since 2007); above 5.4% on 9 Oct
  • France CPI: 3.0% (Sept, preliminary)
  • France 10-year OAT: about 4.86% on 12 Oct (4.85% on 9 Oct)
  • ECB deposit rate: 2.50% (raised 10 Sep)

Read more (free to read)

If you're new to this

Both countries have high debt and slow growth. In a high-debt country, rising interest rates make the interest bill larger every year, which leaves less for services or tax cuts.

France does not set its own rates. As a euro member it follows the European Central Bank, so it cannot cut rates to help itself and must instead cut spending or raise taxes.

The UK has its own currency, so the pound can fall when investors worry. That raises import prices and inflation, another reason the Bank of England is cautious.

As of 13 Oct 2026 · Trading Economics, Pound Sterling Live, Bank of England, Babypips (UK CPI)

China: slower growth

Q2 GDP 4.3% · CPI 0.8%

China is slowing at the top line while prices stir. GDP grew 4.3% in the second quarter, reportedly the weakest pace in about three and a half years, yet consumer prices rose 0.8% on a year earlier in August and factory-gate prices rose 3.8% (National Bureau of Statistics, 9 to 10 September), helped by higher international commodity prices.

The People's Bank of China is in no hurry to cut. The one-year loan prime rate stayed at 3.0% and the five-year at 3.5%, unchanged since May 2025 (Trendforce, 1 October), with the seven-day reverse repo rate at 1.4%. September's price data and third-quarter GDP were not yet published or verifiable today.

  • Q2 GDP growth: 4.3% year on year
  • CPI: 0.8% (Aug); core 1.0%; PPI +3.8%
  • 1-year LPR 3.0%, 5-year 3.5% (unchanged since May 2025)

Read more (free to read)

If you're new to this

GDP (gross domestic product) is the total value of goods and services produced. Growth of 4.3% is strong for a large developed economy but slow for China, which depends on growth to employ millions of people.

China is the world's largest manufacturer and a major buyer of oil, iron ore and copper. When its growth slows, commodity prices and Canadian resource shares often weaken.

Chinese shares are in most global and emerging-market ETFs but at a modest weight. They are subject to political risk, since regulators can change rules suddenly.

As of 13 Oct 2026 · National Bureau of Statistics (Aug CPI), Trendforce (LPR 1 Oct); September data not verified

Registered accounts: TFSA, RRSP and FHSA

Canada

Where you hold an ETF can matter as much as which one you pick, because the account decides how its growth and income are taxed.

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If you're new to this

A Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA) lets investments grow and be withdrawn tax-free. You contribute from money that has already been taxed. Withdrawn room comes back the following year.

A Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) gives you a tax deduction when you contribute, and growth is untaxed until you withdraw, when it counts as income. It tends to suit people whose tax rate now is higher than it will be in retirement.

The First Home Savings Account (FHSA) combines both: a deduction going in and tax-free withdrawals if used for a first home. It only suits people who qualify as first-time buyers.

Contribution limits change each year and unused room carries forward, so check the Canada Revenue Agency for yours. A non-registered account has no limit but is taxed on dividends, interest and gains. This is general information, so confirm your position with a tax professional.

General information

All-in-one ETFs, fees and asset mix

Core ideas

The simplest way to invest is one fund. An all-in-one ETF holds a mix of stocks and bonds and rebalances itself, which is why it is so popular for keeping a plan simple.

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If you're new to this

An ETF (exchange-traded fund) is a basket of investments that trades on the stock exchange like a single share. An index ETF simply copies a market index, such as the S&P 500, without anyone picking stocks.

The management expense ratio (MER) is the yearly fee taken from the fund, shown as a percentage. All-in-one ETFs usually charge roughly 0.2% to 0.25%. Fees compound against you, so a 1% fund costs thousands more over decades than a 0.2% fund.

Asset allocation is the split between stocks (higher growth, bigger swings) and bonds (steadier, lower return). All-in-one funds come in conservative, balanced, growth and all-equity versions. A person at 45 typically has about 20 years before drawing on retirement money, but how much risk suits you depends on your goals and temperament.

Rebalancing means selling a bit of what has grown and buying what lagged, to return to the target split. An all-in-one does this inside the fund.

General information

Rates, bonds, currency and withholding tax

Core ideas

Four quiet mechanics that shape your returns: how bond prices react to interest rates, how currency moves, what hedging does, and the tax withheld on foreign dividends.

A live example this week: the US 10-year yield hit about 5.37% on 7 October, a 24-year high, and the UK 10-year gilt yield reached 5.51% on 8 October, the highest since 2007. When yields rise like that, existing bond prices fall, which matters if your all-in-one ETF holds bonds. The Canadian dollar also slid to about 70 US cents on 9 October, which lifts the Canadian-dollar value of unhedged US holdings.

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If you're new to this

Bond prices and yields move in opposite directions. If rates rise, newly issued bonds pay more, so older bonds fall in price, and longer-dated bonds fall further. A bond ETF can therefore lose value while rates rise, even though the bonds will pay back at maturity.

When a Canadian holds US or international shares, returns depend on the share price and on the exchange rate. If the US dollar falls against the Canadian dollar, a US fund can lose value in Canadian terms. A hedged fund removes most of that effect for a small cost, while an unhedged fund leaves it in.

Foreign governments often withhold tax on dividends paid to non-residents, typically 15% for US dividends under the tax treaty. How much you pay depends on the account (an RRSP is treated more favourably for US-listed funds than a TFSA) and whether the fund is listed in Canada or the US, so it is worth reading the fund's documents.

None of this is a recommendation, and the right answer depends on your situation. A fee-only financial planner can check your specifics.

As of 13 Oct 2026 · general information with market figures from Trading Economics and Yahoo Finance