This is the midday brief for Thu, Apr 9, 2026. View latest

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Midday Edition. Thursday, April 9, 2026

Market context for passive investors.

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$41.59
+0.10%

Headline

Markets hold steady as Iran ceasefire uncertainty keeps sentiment mixed

U.S. equities are posting a narrow gain at midday as markets navigate an uncertain Iran ceasefire story, with stocks oscillating between small losses and gains as headlines shift. Canada and emerging markets are drifting slightly lower, dampened by energy-sector crosscurrents as oil prices pull back from recent highs. XEQT is nearly unchanged on the day, with contributions across sleeves largely offsetting each other.

The Regions

  • Canada

    26.34% of XEQT

    • XIC.TO
    -0.20% -0.05 pts from XEQT

    XIC.TO fell 0.20% so far today, giving back a portion of yesterday's ceasefire-driven surge, with energy stocks retreating as oil prices pulled back from recent highs following uncertainty over whether the U.S.-Iran ceasefire will hold.

    Canada market region icon

  • United States

    43.24% of XEQT

    • XTOT.TO
    • ITOT
    +0.40% +0.17 pts to XEQT

    U.S. equities are up 0.40% at midday, with the S&P 500 narrowly extending its winning streak as markets digested shifting Iran ceasefire signals, though breadth remains mixed with more issues declining than advancing as of midday.

    United States market region icon

  • Intl Developed

    25.16% of XEQT

    • XEF.TO
    -0.06% -0.02 pts from XEQT

    XEF.TO edged down 0.06% today. No session-specific driver was identified in available sources for developed international markets.

    Intl Developed market region icon

  • Emerging Mrkts

    5.13% of XEQT

    • XEC.TO
    -0.52% -0.03 pts from XEQT

    XEC.TO declined 0.52% today, the weakest sleeve in the portfolio. Specific midday drivers were not identified in available sources, though broader geopolitical uncertainty and oil-price moves are a plausible contributing backdrop.

    Emerging Markets market region icon

The Hold Line

XEQT is essentially flat on the day, up just 0.10%, with the U.S. sleeve doing the heavy lifting and modest declines in Canada and emerging markets largely offsetting it. A single day of geopolitical noise is not a reason to rethink a long-term global equity allocation. Stay the course.

Signals

  • 01

    Oil near $97, ceasefire uncertain

    Oil briefly topped $100 before retreating to near $97, with the Iran ceasefire remaining fragile. Energy-sector volatility does not change the long-term case for global diversification held inside XEQT.

  • 02

    CAD/USD at 0.7238

    CAD/USD sits at 0.7238 today. For XEQT holders, a softer Canadian dollar means foreign-currency gains modestly cushion any weakness in international sleeves when translated back to CAD. No action needed.

  • 03

    S&P 500 seven-day win streak

    The S&P 500 is on track for a seventh consecutive positive session, its longest winning streak since October. Streaks like this are not a signal to rebalance or reduce equity exposure; they are simply how compounding works over time.

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