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genie google The S&P 500 fell less than 0.1% after spending the day wavering between small gains and losses. The tiny loss ended the benchmark index’s three-day winning streak. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.1% and the Nasdaq composite fell 0.1%. Trading volume was lighter than usual as US markets reopened following the Christmas holiday. Semiconductor giant Nvidia, whose enormous valuation gives it an outsize influence on indexes, slipped 0.2%. Meta Platforms fell 0.7%, and Amazon and Netflix each fell 0.9%. Tesla was among the biggest decliners in the S&P 500, finishing 1.8% lower. Some tech companies fared better. Chip company Broadcom rose 2.4%, Micron Technology added 0.6% and Adobe gained 0.5%. Health care stocks were a bright spot. CVS Health rose 1.5% and Walgreens Boots Alliance added 5.3% for the biggest gain among S&P 500 stocks. Several retailers also gained ground. Target rose 3%, Ross Stores added 2.3%, Best Buy rose 2.9% and Dollar Tree gained 3.8%. Traders are watching to see whether retailers have a strong holiday season. The day after Christmas traditionally ranks among the top 10 biggest shopping days of the year, as consumers go online or rush to stores to cash in gift cards and raid bargain bins. US-listed shares in Honda and Nissan rose 4.1% and 16.4% respectively. The Japanese car makers announced earlier this week that the two companies are in talks to combine. All told, the S&P 500 fell 2.45 points to 6,037.59. The Dow added 28.77 points to 43,325.80. The Nasdaq fell 10.77 points to close at 20,020.36. Wall Street also got a labour market update. US applications for unemployment benefits held steady last week, though continuing claims rose to the highest level in three years, the Labour Department reported. Treasury yields mostly fell in the bond market. The yield on the 10-year Treasury slipped to 4.58% from 4.59% late on Tuesday. Major European markets were closed, as well as Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia. Trading was expected to be subdued this week with a thin slate of economic data on the calendar.

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Mississauga Potens Digital Agency Unveils Cutting-Edge Marketing Solutions for 2024 11-23-2024 12:04 AM CET | Business, Economy, Finances, Banking & Insurance Press release from: ABNewswire With the fierce competition everywhere, choosing the right marketing partner can make or break your business. Potens Digital [ https://potensdigital.com/ ] has established itself as the leading digital marketing agency in Mississauga in 2024, offering a blend of innovation, expertise, and results-oriented solutions that cater to businesses of all sizes. If you want to elevate your online presence and drive measurable growth, Potens Digital is the agency to trust. Why Potens Digital Stands Out in Mississauga Comprehensive Digital Marketing Services Potens Digital offers premium and comprehensive services to cover every aspect of online marketing. Their holistic approach ensures businesses receive tailored solutions to achieve their unique goals. 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Their attention to detail and commitment to achieving results have earned them a reputation as Mississauga's go-to digital marketing agency. Adaptability in a Changing Market The digital marketing world evolves rapidly, and Potens Digital remains at the forefront of these changes. They ensure their clients remain competitive in their respective industries by continually updating their strategies and adopting the latest tools and technologies. Why Businesses in Mississauga Choose Potens Digital Local Expertise with a Global Perspective While Potens Digital operates in Mississauga, their reach extends far beyond the local market. Their understanding of regional nuances and a global outlook allow them to create strategies that resonate with diverse audiences. Award-Winning Team Potens Digital boasts a team of skilled professionals who have received industry accolades for their innovative work. 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Media Contact Company Name: Potens Digital Contact Person: Ahmed Khanani (CEO) Email:Send Email [ https://www.abnewswire.com/email_contact_us.php?pr=mississauga-potens-digital-agency-unveils-cuttingedge-marketing-solutions-for-2024 ] Address:55 Village Centre Plc City: Ontario L4Z 1V9 Country: Canada Website: https://potensdigital.com/ This release was published on openPR.

The NBA got viewers for Christmas, even while going up against NFL games. The NBA's five-game Christmas lineup was the league's most-watched in five years, with the games averaging about 5.25 million viewers per game across ABC, ESPN and its platforms, the league said Thursday based on Nielsen's preliminary numbers. It's an 84% rise over the NBA's Christmas numbers from 2023. The Los Angeles Lakers’ 115-113 victory over the Golden State Warriors — a game pitting Olympic teammates LeBron James and Stephen Curry — averaged 7.76 million viewers and peaked with about 8.32 million viewers toward the end of the contest, the league said. Those numbers represent the most-watched NBA regular season game in five years. “I love the NFL,” James said in his televised postgame interview Wednesday night. “But Christmas is our day.” The NBA said all five Christmas games on its schedule — San Antonio at New York in Victor Wembanyama's holiday debut, Minnesota at Dallas, Philadelphia at Boston, Denver at Phoenix and Lakers-Warriors — saw year-over-year viewership increases. Wednesday's numbers pushed NBA viewership for the season across ESPN platforms to up 4% over last season. The league also saw more than 500 million video views on its social media platforms Wednesday, a new record. For the NBA, those are all good signs amid cries that NBA viewership is hurting. “Ratings are down a bit at beginning of the season. But cable television viewership is down double digits so far this year versus last year," NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said earlier this month. “You know, we’re almost at the inflection point where people are watching more programing on streaming than they are on traditional television. And it’s a reason why for our new television deals, which we enter into next year, every game is going to be available on a streaming service.” Part of that new package of television deals that the NBA is entering into next season also increases the number of regular season games broadcast on television from 15 to 75. AP NBA: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NBAColts need help for playoff shot, while Giants seek end to record skid

3 Breakout Growth Stocks You Can Buy and Hold for the Next DecadeJoe Rogan was among the first to hear Elon Musk 's bold prediction about the fearful state of the US economy entering 2025 on his show earlier this year. On episode #2223 of the Joe Rogan Experience , Musk re-appeared on the program for nearly 3 hours to speak about business, design, engineering, Tesla, Space X, and more. With a net worth of $442 billion and always in the mix to be known as the world's richest billionaire, Musk predicted that the US could become bankrupt with the dollar not meaning anything due to the US national debt, which is reported by the US Department of treasury as $36.19 trillion. "The interest payments, which are already 23 percent of all government income, is just going to pay interest right now. And that number is continually rising," Musk said on the show. Joe Rogan shares insight into UFC 'killer' who is 'nicest guy you could meet' Joe Rogan states why Conor McGregor will never fight in UFC again "So if we don't do something, the entire government budget will be paying interest. There won’t be money for anything," he explained. "No, there won’t be money for Social Security, there won't be money for Medicare, nothing. That’s where we're headed. That's what bankruptcy means." In 2024, interest on US federal debt reportedly tallied up to approximately $1.1 trillion. The federal government collected $4.92 trillion in revenue. After Musk evaluated the issue through his own calculations, he said, "I'm looking at the numbers here and I'm like, if we don’t do something, America is toast." Musk's urged cuts amount to around 30 percent of the current federal budget, targeting discretionary spending as mandatory programs like Social Security [$1.46 trillion] and Medicare [$874 billion] account for significant overall costs. Senior Vice President of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget , Marc Goldwein, voiced strong suspicion against Musk's ideas and said, "Such cuts would be borderline impossible without affecting politically sensitive programs or causing significant economic turmoil in the short term." President-elect Donald Trump hand-selected Musk to co-lead the newly created Department of Government Efficiency with Vivek Ramaswamy , aiming to save the country more money. The specifics of their full plan remain unclear, and the group will act solely as an advisory body operating outside of the government. DON'T MISS Joe Rogan 'genuinely concerned' about drones in U.S. as new theory explored Terrified Joe Rogan thinks drones attempting to sniff out gas leak or radiation Tyson Fury blew Joe Rogan away with 'powerful' story ahead of Usyk rematch Musk and Ramaswamy have aligned with a vocal group of Republican lawmakers who have continued their push to slash federal spending, zeroing in on the $535 million annual budget allocated to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting [CPB]. The proposed cuts target reducing funding for the public media company responsible for Sesame Street, NPR shows, and more, which has often been a point of disagreement in allocation debates. The idea was detested by several qualified government employees like President of the American Federation of Government Employees Everett Kelley, who view the cuts as harmful to the country. Rogan has previously criticized the Biden administration for the economy and that Trump's re-election puts it back in a strong position.

Travis Kelce knows Jason Kelce 's game all too well. Which is why the Kansas City Chiefs tight end wasn't fazed by his brother's recent reference to his girlfriend Taylor Swift . During the duo's Dec. 24 episode of their New Heights podcast, Jason informed listeners about a discount code featuring the number 13, a figure beloved by Taylor, who was born on Dec. 13. "I wonder what the 13 is for?" Jason cheekily asked. "It's probably because it's my favorite number, right?" Without skipping a beat, Travis replied, "Yeah. Or maybe it was just Friday the 13th a few weeks ago." Indeed, it was nearly two weeks ago that Dec. 13, Taylor's 35th birthday , landed on a Friday. But Jason also added another possible theory, reminding Travis, "I was number 13 in hockey." This hilarious podcast exchange between the brothers comes shortly after Travis praised the Grammy winner for completing her history-making Eras Tour . “Shoutout to Tay,” he said on the Dec. 11 episode of New Heights . “The unbelievable Eras Tour has finally come to an end.” "Over 10 million people in the stands over the course of it, like cumulatively," Travis added. "It’s pretty crazy.” I wonder what the 13 is for - Jason 😄 pic.twitter.com/vrNM2f83ok And Taylor has often returned support for Travis. Just a few days ago, she cheered him on as the Chiefs defeated the Houston Texans Dec. 21. As the NFL player's season continues, best believe the "Cruel Summer" singer will make more game day appearances . "I'm going to see him do what he loves, we're showing up for each other, other people are there and we don't care," she told Time in Dec. 2023. "The opposite of that is you have to go to an extreme amount of effort to make sure no one knows that you're seeing someone. And we're just proud of each other." And no, she's not focused on the attention her attendance might bring. "There's a camera, like, a half-mile away, and you don't know where it is, and you have no idea when the camera is putting you in the broadcast, so I don't know if I'm being shown 17 times or once," she explained. "I'm just there to support Travis. I have no awareness of if I'm being shown too much and pissing off a few dads, Brads, and Chads." For more details on Taylor and Travis' winning romance, keep reading... July 2023: So, Make the Friendship Bracelets Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce 's love story began in July 2023, when the singer's Eras Tour made a stop at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. As a huge Swiftie, the Kansas City Chiefs tight end caught the show with hopes of giving Taylor a friendship bracelet with his number on it . However, he failed to complete the pass due to her pre-show rituals. "I was disappointed that she doesn't talk before or after her shows because she has to save her voice for the 44 songs that she sings," Travis shared on the July 26 episode of his New Heights podcast. "So, I was a little butt-hurt I didn't get to hand her one of the bracelets I made for her." Summer 2023: This Is Him Trying After publicly recounting his fumble—a move Taylor would later describe as "metal as hell" —Travis decided to shoot his shot and invite the Grammy winner to watch the Chiefs play at Arrowhead Stadium. "I threw it out there, I threw the ball in her court," he shared on The Pat McAfee Show . "I told her, you know, 'I've seen you rock the stage in Arrowhead, you might have to come see me rock the stage in Arrowhead and see which one's a little more lit.' So, we'll see what happens in the near future." August 2023: Enchanted to Meet You Travis was rocking a mustache—which he debuted in August during training camp—when he was first introduced to Taylor . As he later noted of the era, "That 'stache and the 87 jersey was pretty iconic there for a little bit, and I had it when I met Taylor for the first time." September 2023: Sparks Fly By early September, a source close to the situation told E! News that Travis and Taylor were " texting and talking here and there ." "It's been very low-key," the insider explained, "as he's been in season." September 2023: Cheer Captain Accepting Travis' invite, Taylor joined the athlete's mom Donna Kelce at Arrowhead Stadium to watch him and the Chiefs take on the Chicago Bears. After the game, Taylor and Travis were seen packing PDA at a local bar . Though folklore had it that it was the couple's first in-person meeting, the "Karma" singer later clarified the two had spent a "significant amount of time" getting to know each other beforehand. As Taylor noted, "We would never be psychotic enough to hard launch a first date." October 2023: Team Up As an indication that the relationship was heating up, Taylor brought her squad —including friends Blake Lively , Ryan Reynolds , Sophie Turner , Hugh Jackman , Sabrina Carpenter and Antoni Porowski —to watch the Chiefs play against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. October 2023: It's Nice to Have a Friend Another sign that Travis could be The 1 ? Taylor started bonding with Brittany Mahomes —the wife of Travis' BFF and teammate Patrick Mahomes —in and outside of NFL games . October 2023: Welcome to New York The couple took their romance to TV, making a surprise appearance on the Oct. 14 episode of Saturday Night Live . Their Big Apple takeover also included the after-party for the NBC sketch show and a date night at the Waverly Inn . November 2023: Karma Is Her Boyfriend During a bye week, Travis traveled down to Argentina to catch the South American leg of Taylor's Eras Tour. Not only did the NFL star bond with Taylor's dad , Scott Swift , at the Nov. 11 show in Buenos Aires, but he also got a special shoutout from the stage. " Karma is that guy on the Chiefs ," Taylor sang, "coming straight home to me." After the show, the Midnights artist was seen running up to Travis backstage and greeting him with a passionate kiss . December 2024: Speak Now Taylor addressed the lavender craze surrounding her appearances at Travis' games. "I'm going to see him do what he loves, we're showing up for each other, other people are there and we don't care," she told Time . "The opposite of that is you have to go to an extreme amount of effort to make sure no one knows that you're seeing someone." December 2023: You, Who Charmed Her Dad The music superstar turned Travis' Dec. 17 game into a family affair, bringing her dad to cheer on her man . January 2024: All the Midnights Taylor and Travis spent their first New Year's Eve together, sharing a romantic kiss when the clock struck midnight on Jan. 1. January 2024: Chosen Family Continuing to bond with Travis' family, Taylor hung out with his brother Jason Kelce and sister-in-law Kylie Kelce at the Chiefs' game against the Buffalo Bills. January 2024: Saved by the Perfect Kiss Taylor joined Travis on the football field when the Chiefs won the AFC Championship , a victory that cemented the team's spot in the 2024 Super Bowl . The couple shared a celebratory kiss before exchanging the L-word . "Tay, I'm gonna enjoy with the guys," he told her. "I love you—so much it's not funny." February 2024: Super Bowl Champs The pair locked lips on the field after Travis led the Kansas City Chiefs to victory on Feb. 11, 2024 in Las Vegas. February 2024: TikTok Official Taylor posted footage of Travis on social media for the first time Feb. 12, poking fun at how she took her parents clubbing with the athlete after the Super Bowl. June 2024: Instagram Official Taylor's first Instagram pic featuring Travis was a selfie of the two with Prince William and his and wife Kate Middleton 's eldest kids Prince George and Princess Charlotte backstage at the singer's Eras tour show at Wembley Stadium in London. June 2024: Travis' Eras Tour Stage Debut While attending his seventh Eras tour concert, and second show at London's Wembley Stadium, the NFL star joined his girlfriend onstage as a backup performer during her performance of "I Can Do It With a Broken Heart." September 2024: Back in the Game Taylor joined Travis for the Chief's first game of the regular 2024-25 season and appeared to re-enact a PDA moment from October 2023 in this photo shared by Chariah Gordon , who is pictured with her boyfriend, Chiefs wide receiver Mecole Hardman . September 2024: Wedding Date The two attended model Karen Elson 's wedding to Electric Lady Studios owner Lee Foster in New York City. September 2024: U.S. Open Date The next day, the pair attended the men's singles final match at the U.S. Open . October 2024: Double Date The two stepped out for a double dinner date with Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds in NYC.Beyoncé Mocks Netflix’s Live Streaming Fiascos as Halftime Show Hype Explodes

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The NFL won the head-to-head battle for viewers with the College Football Playoff. Front Office Sports, citing figures from Nielsen, reported Tuesday that the Kansas City Chiefs' 27-19 win over the Houston Texans on Saturday averaged 15.5 million viewers on NBC, more than double the average of 6.4 million people who watched Penn State defeat SMU 38-10 on TNT Sports in the same time frame. The Baltimore Ravens' 34-17 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers drew an average of 15.4 million for Fox Sports, while 8.6 million viewers tuned in to see Texas defeat Clemson 38-24in the College Football Playoff on TNT. The CFP games returned stronger ratings when they weren't matched up against an NFL game, however. Ohio State's 42-17 victory over Tennessee, played in primetime on Saturday night, averaged 14.3 million viewers on ESPN. The network also saw strong ratings for Notre Dame's 27-17 win over Indiana on Friday night with an average of 13.4 million. All four first-round CFP games were played at campus sites. They averaged 10.6 million viewers overall, per Front Office Sports, which noted that figure exceeded the ratings for all but four college football broadcasts this season. --Field Level MediaNoneDemocrats look to governors to lead them to promised land

Bethlehem marks a second subdued Christmas Eve during the war in Gaza BETHLEHEM, West Bank (AP) — Bethlehem is marking another somber Christmas Eve under the shadow of war in Gaza. Manger Square lacked its usual festive lights and crowds of tourists on Tuesday. Instead, the area outside the Nativity Church was quiet. The church was built atop the spot where Jesus is believed to have been born. The war, the violence in the occupied West Bank it has spurred and the lack of festivities has deeply hurt Bethlehem's economy. The town relies heavily on Christmas tourism. The economy in the West Bank was already reeling because of restrictions placed on laborers preventing them from entering Israel during the war. Pope Francis kicks off a yearlong Jubilee that will test his stamina and Rome's patience VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis has opened the great Holy Door of St. Peter's Basilica. The ceremony kicks off the 2025 Holy Year. It's a celebration of the Catholic Church that is expected to draw some 32 million pilgrims to Rome. And it will test the pope’s stamina and the ability of the Eternal City to welcome them. This begins the Christmas Eve Mass. The ceremony inaugurates the once-every-25-year tradition of a Jubilee. Francis has dedicated the 2025 Jubilee to the theme of hope. Trump vows to pursue executions after Biden commutes most of federal death row FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump says he'll “vigorously pursue” capital punishment after President Joe Biden commuted the sentences of most people on federal death row partly to stop Trump from pushing forward their executions. Trump criticized Biden’s decision on Monday to change the sentences of 37 of the 40 condemned people to life in prison without parole. Trump said that he will direct the Department of Justice to pursue the death penalty “as soon as I am inaugurated.” Trump was vague on what specific actions he may take. 21 dead as Mozambique erupts in violence after election court ruling MAPUTO, Mozambique (AP) — Violence that engulfed Mozambique after the country’s highest court confirmed ruling party presidential candidate Daniel Chapo as the winner of disputed Oct. 9 elections has killed at least 21 people, including two police officers. Mozambique Interior Minister Pascoal Ronda told a news conference in Maputo late Tuesday that a wave of violence and looting was sparked by the court’s announcement a day earlier. He said it was led by mostly youthful supporters of losing candidate Venancio Mondlane, who received 24% of the vote, second to Chapo, who got 65%. Haiti gangs fire on journalists covering a planned hospital reopening, leaving casualties PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Suspected gang members have opened fire on journalists in Haiti’s capital as they were covering the attempted reopening of the country’s largest hospital, wounding or killing an unknown number of people. The country's interim president, Leslie Voltaire, said in an address to the nation that journalists and police were among the victims of the vicious Christmas Eve attack. He did not specify how many casualties there were, or give a breakdown for the dead or wounded. Radio Télé Métronome said earlier on Tuesday that seven journalists and two police officers were wounded in the shooting. Street gangs have taken over an estimated 85% of Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince. Heavy travel day starts with brief grounding of all American Airlines flights WASHINGTON (AP) — American Airlines briefly grounded flights nationwide due to a technical problem just as the Christmas travel season kicked into overdrive and winter weather threatened more potential problems for those planning to fly or drive. Government regulators cleared American flights to get airborne Tuesday about an hour after the Federal Aviation Administration ordered a national ground stop, which prevented planes from taking off. American said in an email that the problem was caused by vendor technology in its flight operating system. Aviation analytics company Cirium said flights were delayed across American’s major hubs, with only 37% leaving on time. Nineteen flights were cancelled. Caitlin Clark honored as AP Female Athlete of the Year following her impact on women's sports Caitlin Clark has been named the AP Female Athlete of the Year after raising the profile of women’s basketball to unprecedented levels in both college and the WNBA. She led Iowa to the national championship game, was the top pick in the WNBA draft and captured rookie of the year honors in the league. Fans packed sold-out arenas and millions of television viewers followed her journey on and off the court. Clark's exploits also put other women's sports leagues in the spotlight. A group of 74 sports journalists from AP and its members voted on the award. Other athletes who received votes included Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles and boxer Imane Khelif. Clark’s only the fourth women’s basketball player to win the award since it was first given in 1931. Medellin Cartel victims demand truth and justice as cartel boss Fabio Ochoa walks free in Colombia BOGOTÁ, Colombia (AP) — The return of the notorious drug trafficker Fabio Ochoa to Colombia, following his deportation from the United States, has reopened old wounds among the victims of the Medellin cartel, with some expressing their dismay at the decision of Colombian authorities to let the former mafia boss walk free.Some of the cartel victims said on Tuesday that they are hoping the former drug lord will at least cooperate with ongoing efforts by human rights groups to investigate one of the most violent periods of Colombia’s history, and demanded that Colombian prosecutors also take Ochoa in for questioning. NFL players who use platform to share their faith say it's their duty to spread their love of Jesus ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) — Jake Bates was standing on the turf in his hometown of Houston when asked to reflect on an unlikely journey from learning how to sell bricks to making game-winning kicks for the Detroit Lions. Bates used his platform as an NFL player to spread his love of Jesus. A month later, Bates told The Associated Press it is a duty to share his faith. The NFL is filled with players and coaches who feel the same way, such as Houston's C.J. Stroud, Atlanta's Kirk Cousins, and Lamar Jackson and John Harbaugh of the Baltimore Ravens.LIVE Boxing Day Test: Smith’s chance to push for century after Konstas heroics

Canadians face a fresh wave of scams as fraudsters seize on the Canada Post strike to try to trick victims out of their cash. The last few weeks have seen an “exponential” rise in attempted fraud, ranging from phishing emails to deepfake phone calls, says Octavia Howell, chief information security officer at Equifax Canada. “Any time there is a major political event, a major strike or anything like that, we’ll see an uptick,” she said in a phone interview. “Not only is there a Canada post strike ... it’s the holidays.” Scams related to parcels and deliveries typically tick up in step with online shopping orders this time of year, but the work stoppage at Canada Post has led to even more fraud attempts amid the confusion around shipments, Howell said. Comprehensive figures on the latest batch of scams are not yet available from Equifax Canada, but the credit bureau’s daily updates have marked the rise nonetheless. Rather than the roughly half-dozen daily consumer fraud reports of previous increases, Equifax Canada’s investigations team is filing up to “87 in one report in one day coming from the same IP addresses,” said Howell. She called the trend “insidious.” “We’re seeing exponential growth in the amount of scams that are actually happening ... because, one, holidays, and then two, people aren’t able to get their shipments out.” Mail carriers walked off the job on Nov. 15, halting deliveries of letters and packages at the start of the holiday shipping season. Canada Post cautions users that it never reaches out about a delivery via text or email unless it has been requested to. The Crown corporation has asked Canadians to be on guard for telltale signs of a phishing scam or fraud attempt, including poor grammar, imagery inconsistent with Canada Post logos and a tracking number at odds with its standard format. The Better Business Bureau similarly cautioned users when the strike kicked off. “Watch out for fake package delivery offers during Canada’s postal strike,” the non-profit said in a release last month. It advised potential victims to verify delivery services, avoid unsolicited shipment offers from little-known companies and check for accreditation by the bureau before selecting a service. It also noted that scammers may send false messages claiming to be from Canada Post or another carrier asking for payment for undelivered items or offering “priority service.” “Do not click on links in unsolicited emails or texts. Instead, visit the official website of the courier service for updates,” the bureau said. Canada Post recommends customers contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre if they receive a suspicious email, text or call related to the postal service.

A key figure in a trucker protest that jammed Canada's capital and sparked a global movement against Covid mandates was found guilty Friday for his role in the blockade. The self-styled "Freedom Convoy" of big rig drivers and protesters rolled into Ottawa in early 2022 from across Canada to express anger at government protocols imposed to contain Covid-19. After three weeks of turmoil, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau invoked rarely used emergency powers to dislodge the protesters. Pat King was among hundreds of people arrested, and the first of the protest leaders to be convicted. Two other organizers, Tamara Lich and Chris Barber faced a separate criminal trial but those verdicts are not expected until 2025. King faces up to 10 years in prison after being convicted on five charges, including mischief, counselling others to commit mischief and disobeying a court order. Acquitted of more serious charges, he smiled at a packed courtroom of supporters as the judge read the verdict. "Mr King was not merely engaging in political speech," Justice Charles Hackland said. "Rather, he was inciting the protesters to continue their ongoing blockade of downtown Ottawa." King led hundreds of big rigs and thousands of protestors to Ottawa, bringing the capital to a standstill for more than three weeks. Residents and business owners complained of incessant honking and harassment. As the demonstrators' demands expanded to a broader anti-establishment agenda, solidarity rallies popped up at Canada-US trade corridors and various places abroad. Most of the evidence at trial consisted of videos King posted on social media in which he urged his nearly 300,000 followers to rail against government overreach. "Hold the line," he said in video posts, appearing also to delight in the gridlock and misery of locals: "Pretty hilarious that people haven't been able to sleep for 10 days." Trudeau faced strong criticisms from civil liberties groups and the opposition Conservatives for invoking the Emergencies Act to dislodge the protestors. But a commission of inquiry ruled it had been "appropriate," calling it "a drastic move, but... not a dictatorial one." amc/bs/bfmThe so-called “roaring 20s” environment may be in for a return as central banks look to reduce interest rates further into 2025. Undoubtedly, it’s tough to tell how quickly the Bank of Canada will trim rates from here, given the tariff threats that could easily take a further bite out of the loonie. In any case, a slower rate-cut schedule or pause of sorts seems likelier, in my opinion, as the U.S. Federal Reserve (or the Fed) looks to catch up with rate reductions of their own. Either way, Fed chairman Jerome Powell made it loud and clear that the Fed is in no rush to cut rates and further reductions could be “gradual.” Indeed, it’s tough to tell whether the Fed will cut more times than the Bank of Canada next year, given the unique slate of risks. Either way, I do think that the Canadian and U.S. economies can fare well, even if the rate cuts come in just a tad more infrequently. Black Friday and Boxing Day of 2024 could be solid. With consumers fresh off spending on Black Friday 2024, questions linger as to where retail sales head from here. Indeed, there have been notable signs that the consumer is still willing to spend if there’s a good deal to be had. And though only time will tell how they react after Black Friday and Boxing Day, I do think that the years of inflation and tough times could be conducive to higher consumer spending at some point down the road. Of course, there are always risks that could present themselves, causing consumers to put their wallets away and delay big purchases for a while longer. Either way, I think the e-commerce firms are looking pretty enticing at current valuation multiples. Though I have no idea if a “roaring 20s” environment will kick off again, I must say I’m a fan of the longer-term trajectory as the e-commerce firms move past what can only be described as a rough patch. Also, it’s really hard to tell what stocks are set to soar over a near-term timeframe, given all the unknowns and potential pitfalls we may not see today. So, if you’re going to bet on an e-commerce stock, do be ready for bumps in the road, which may include a new year sell-off of sorts, as you look to for the long haul. In short, the following name, I believe, appears timely going into the new year. However, I view them as best held for at least four years. Shopify ( ) stock has been riding higher in recent weeks, thanks in part to an incredible quarterly earnings result which, I believe, is not just a one-off. Going into 2025, I think Shopify could have even more surprisingly good results, especially if digital retail picks up traction. Recently, Scotia Capital analysts said that Shopify was one of the names that could see even more Black Friday upside. I couldn’t agree more. If digital retail is coming back in a big way, it will be tough to stop SHOP stock in its tracks. As always, buying after melt-ups in a stock accompanies a high degree of risk. However, if you’re in it for the long run, SHOP stock still seems worth nibbling into, especially as some analysts, like Kevin Krishnaratne, look for the name to “move higher to close out the year.”