A popular garlic powder sold at Dollarama stores across Canada is being recalled due to potential microbial contamination, health officials announced this week.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) issued the recall Wednesday for Heavenly Spices garlic powder sold at Dollarama stores nationwide.

The product is being recalled because it may be contaminated with Bacillus cereus, a bacterium that can cause nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps and watery diarrhea, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

“Do not use, sell, serve or distribute the affected product,” the CFIA said in its recall notice.

TAYLOR FARMS PREPARING RECALL, DENIES BRANDED SALADS TIED TO OUTBREAK

The agency classified the recall as a Class 2 event, meaning there is a moderate risk that consuming the product could cause short-term or non-life-threatening health effects.

A Dollarama spokesperson told CTVNews.ca on Friday that customers who purchased the product should throw it away.

“Customers can also contact Dollarama Customer Service directly for a $2.00 e-gift card as a replacement,” the spokesperson said.

The recalled garlic powder was sold in 70-gram containers in stores and online.

GENERAL MILLS PULLS MORE THAN 735,000 PILLSBURY ROLLS FROM SHELVES OVER POSSIBLE GLASS CONTAMINATION

According to the FDA, symptoms of Bacillus cereus infection typically last between 24 and 48 hours. The bacterium is commonly found in meat, stews, gravies, vanilla sauce, and cooked rice that has been improperly refrigerated or left at room temperature.

The garlic powder is the latest food product to be pulled from store shelves.

Earlier this week, the FDA announced that General Mills was recalling more than 735,000 packages of Pillsbury bread products over concerns they may contain glass.

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Bloomberg News also reported that fresh produce supplier Taylor Farms is preparing a recall tied to ingredients linked to a multistate Cyclospora outbreak, though the company has said its branded salad products are not associated with the illnesses.

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A global rout in tech stocks dragged Europe’s equity benchmark slightly lower on Friday, leaving investors on edge as they prepare for next week’s European Central Bank meeting and corporate earnings.

The pan-European STOXX ‌600 index fell ⁠0.34% ⁠to 641.53 points. It was largely unchanged for the week.

A rise in oil prices stemming from the escalating Middle East conflict, and lacklustre reaction even to strong earnings this week, have complicated the market backdrop.

Investors had hoped that solid results would direct attention away from geopolitics and towards corporate fundamentals, potentially providing momentum for equities.

However, tech stocks slipped 3.27% this week even after ASML, the dominant supplier of equipment needed to make high-tech computer chips, raised its 2026 sales forecasts.

The subdued reaction underscores the high bar companies have to clear ⁠to lure ‌investors into equities, at a time when sentiment towards major AI winners has soured and uncertainty over inflation persists.
The tech-heavy Nasdaq dropped 0.98%. Taiwanese equities, a major AI beneficiary in ⁠the emerging market universe, dropped 6.47%.

WAR RAGES ON IN MIDDLE EAST

Meanwhile, the U.S. struck bridges and an airport in Iran on Friday, while Tehran responded by hitting a power and desalination plant in Kuwait, one of the Gulf countries that host U.S. airbases. “There is clearly a real disconnect between what Iran believes it can achieve and what the U.S. wants. That is causing some dissonance in markets,” said Steven Schoenfeld, CEO of MarketVector Indexes.

FOCUS TURNS TO ECB NEXT WEEK

Rising energy prices have also sharpened the focus on the European Central Bank, which is widely expected ‌to keep interest rates unchanged on July 23. Investors still expect a second rate hike later this year.

Utilities stocks rose 1.55% and were the biggest gainers on the European benchmark on Friday, while luxury were the best-performing ⁠sector for the week.

Britain’s Burberry slipped 6.38% after the luxury group said the Middle East conflict had weighed on tourist spending in Europe.

Saab rose 9.73% after the Swedish defence and aerospace group reported a bigger-than-expected increase in second-quarter operating profit.

Among other top movers, Norwegian recycling technology company Tomra Systems jumped 11.87% after upbeat quarterly results, while Swedish tech company Lagercrantz slid 7.09% on downbeat quarterly core earnings.

Volvo Group dipped 0.64% even after theSwedish truckmaker reported a 35% jump in second-quarter profit.

Private equity firm EQT gained 11.02%. Australia’s Perpetual rejected a sweetened A$2.5 billion ($1.75 billion) takeover proposal from the Swedish company.

Gold rose on Friday butwas on track for its biggest weekly loss in six as escalating U.S.-Iran tensions drove energy prices higher, fuelling inflation fears and reinforcing expectations of U.S. interest rate hikes. Spot gold was ‌up 1% at $4,011.29 ⁠per ⁠ounce by 2:20 p.m. EDT (1820 GMT). Prices touched their lowest level since June 30 earlier in the session and were down around 2.6% so far for the week. U.S. gold futures for August delivery settled 0.7% higher at $4,018.80.

The U.S. dollar rose for a second straight session, making bullion more expensive for overseas buyers. “The main drivers of the selloff in gold have been a stronger U.S. dollar and higher global inflation fears, which have sent global interest ⁠rates higher,” ‌said Chris Gaffney, president of world markets at EverBank. The U.S.escalated its renewed bombing campaign on Iran, hitting bridges and an airport. Tehran responded with strikes ⁠on U.S. bases across the Middle East. Brent crude oil prices were up around 16% for the week following the attacks.

Bullion has fallen about 25% since the U.S.-backed war with Iran began in late February, pressured by expectations that war-driven inflation could keep interest rates higher for longer.

While gold is seen as a hedge against inflation, higher rates typically weigh on the non-yielding metal. “Recent data have decreased the probability of a rate hike at the next FOMC meeting, but global interest rates ‌continue to climb and the recent increase in oil prices could drive the Federal Reserve to take a more hawkish stance on U.S. interest rate policy,” Gaffney said. Traders see about a ⁠58% chance of a U.S. interest rate hike in September, according to the CME FedWatch Tool. On Thursday, Fed Vice Chair Philip Jefferson suggested he would be open to raising rates if there was no near-term improvement in inflation.

However, “gold’s share in private portfolios remains low, and recent geopolitical developments, including Iran and broader tensions, may accelerate diversification beyond central banks to private investors,” Goldman Sachs said in a note. Spot silver rose 1% to $56.06, platinum dropped 1.4% to $1,595.64, and palladium was steady at $1,249.63. All three metals were headed for weekly losses.

Oil prices climbed more than 4% to their highest in more than a month on Friday after the U.S. and Iran stepped up attacks across the Gulf, with shipping threatened by a potential Red Sea closure on top of the restricted traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.

Brent crude futures settled $3.87, or 4.59%, higher to $88.10 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures rose $3.54, or 4.48%, at $82.49. Both were at their highest since mid-June.

For ‌the week, both ⁠benchmarks gained ⁠about 16%, with Brent on track for a third consecutive weekly gain and WTI set for its second.

The two foes expanded fighting on Friday, with the U.S. striking bridges and an airport in Iran and Tehran hitting a power and desalination plant in Kuwait. Iran said it launched more strikes on U.S. facilities in the Middle East, including the first direct attack in Syria, after a sixth straight night of U.S. strikes on Iranian military facilities.

“The market is reacting to the increasing hostilities between Iran and the ⁠United States ‌that have culminated this week with nightly attacks on Iranian infrastructure and retaliation by Iran on its neighbors’ infrastructure,” said Andrew Lipow, president of Lipow Oil Associates. “If more tankers come ⁠under fire and become damaged, we’re going to see oil prices continue to move up as shipowners simply refuse to enter the Persian Gulf.”

The collapsed truce between the U.S. and Iran has resulted in a sharp decline in oil flows in the strait as Iran targets vessels transiting through it. Before the Iran war, about 20% of global oil supplies flowed through the waterway. Iran has pressed the Houthis to close the Red Sea route if the U.S. attacks Iran’s power infrastructure.
“Given that so much of Saudi Arabia’s exports have been redirected to the ‌port of Yanbu via the East-West Pipeline to avoid Hormuz, any such development is a threat indeed,” Tamas Varga, analyst at PVM Oil Associates, wrote in a note. Saudi Arabia has diverted more than 70% of its ⁠normal daily crude exports to the Red Sea port of Yanbu since the beginning of the war. Shipments from Yanbu averaged 4 million barrels per day in recent weeks, up from around 973,000 bpd in the same period last year.

Qatar’s defence ministry said its armed forces thwarted an Iranian missile attack early on Friday and the interior ministry said a child was wounded by shrapnel resulting from interception operations.

In a different conflict zone, Ukraine’s military said it struck a Russian oil refinery in the Yaroslavl region on Thursday.

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Copper, often called the “metal of electrification,” has emerged as one of the most strategically important commodities in the global economy. Once viewed mainly as a basic industrial metal, copper is now at the center of the world’s transition toward clean energy, electrification and digital infrastructure.

The sharp rise in copper prices in recent years reflects growing concerns over future supply shortages and rapidly expanding demand. More than a cyclical commodity rally, this reflects a structural shift driven by copper’s critical role in renewable energy, electric vehicles (EVs), power networks, electronics and advanced technologies.

Copper’s unique conductivity, durability and versatility make it difficult to replace in many applications. As governments and industries invest heavily in decarbonization and modernization, demand for copper continues to grow, reinforcing its status as a strategic resource for the coming decades.

Demand Driven by Electrification: The global economy’s move toward cleaner energy and increased electrification is transforming copper demand. Global refined copper consumption reached about 28.2 million tonnes in 2025 and has been growing steadily for more than two decades. Energy-transition-related sectors are expected to account for an increasingly larger share of total consumption in the years ahead.

Green Energy and Electric Vehicles: Renewable energy installations and electric vehicles are among the fastest-growing sources of copper demand. Copper is widely used in solar panels, wind turbines, charging infrastructure, batteries and power transmission systems. Electric vehicles require significantly more copper than conventional internal-combustion-engine vehicles, making the metal a key beneficiary of the global EV transition.

Infrastructure and Urbanization: Construction remains the largest consumer of copper. The metal is essential for electrical wiring, plumbing systems, telecommunications networks and urban infrastructure. Rapid urbanisation in developing economies and investments in power transmission and distribution networks continue to support robust demand growth.
Digitalisation and Consumer Technology: Copper is also indispensable to the digital economy. Smartphones, consumer electronics, data centres, 5G networks and artificial intelligence infrastructure rely heavily on copper due to its superior electrical conductivity. As digitalisation accelerates globally, the metal’s importance continues to expand beyond traditional industrial applications.

Supply Struggles to Keep Pace

While demand is rising steadily, copper supply growth faces significant challenges. The industry is highly concentrated geographically, and bringing new production online is both expensive and time-consuming.Concentrated Production: Global copper mining is dominated by a handful of countries. Chile remains the world’s largest producer, followed by Peru, the Democratic Republic of Congo and China. Together, these countries account for more than half of global mine output, creating supply vulnerabilities whenever disruptions occur in major producing regions.

Declining Ore Grades and Operational Challenges: Many existing copper mines are facing declining ore grades, meaning more material must be processed to produce the same amount of copper. This increases costs and reduces efficiency. Mining operations are also vulnerable to labor disputes, power shortages, adverse weather events and environmental concerns, all of which can disrupt production.

Geopolitical and Regulatory Risks: Resource nationalism, changing mining regulations and environmental restrictions are adding further uncertainty to future supply. Governments in key producing regions are increasingly seeking greater control over natural resources through higher taxes, royalties or stricter regulations. At the same time, environmental approvals for new projects are becoming more complex, raising development costs and delaying production.

Long Development Timelines: One of the biggest constraints facing the copper industry is the length of time required to develop new mines. From exploration to commercial production, a major copper project can take 10 to 20 years. As a result, supply cannot respond quickly to rising demand, increasing the likelihood of periodic market deficits and price volatility.

The Role of Recycling: Copper recycling is becoming increasingly important in balancing global supply. Recycled copper already contributes a meaningful share of the market and offers environmental and economic benefits. However, secondary supply alone is unlikely to meet the rapidly growing demand from electrification and renewable energy investments.

A Strategic Metal for the Future

The long-term outlook for copper remains constructive, primarily because demand growth is expected to outpace supply additions over the coming decade. Rapid expansion of electric vehicles, renewable energy projects, battery storage systems, transmission networks, data centers, and AI-driven digital infrastructure will continue to increase copper consumption worldwide.

On the supply side, the industry faces persistent constraints. New mining projects require significant capital investment and often take 10-20 years to move from discovery to production. Declining ore grades, stricter environmental regulations, geopolitical risks, and growing resource nationalism further limit the industry’s ability to respond quickly to rising demand. Although recycling will play a larger role in meeting future requirements, it is unlikely to fully bridge the expected supply gap.

Another key factor supporting copper’s long-term prospects is the lack of viable substitutes in many critical electrical applications. While aluminum can replace copper in certain uses, copper remains the preferred metal because of its superior conductivity, efficiency, and durability. As countries pursue ambitious renewable energy and electrification targets, copper is set to remain at the heart of economic development, making it one of the most strategically important commodities of the coming decade.

(The author is Head of Commodity Research, Geojit Investments Limited)

McCarron, in Hanley Swan, said she felt lucky she had filled her 2,000 litre tank for £1,200 days before the conflict started.

The oil will last their household of four, which includes her mother, daughter and husband, until the autumn.

“Had we ordered it a week and a half later, I think it would have cost us nearly £1,000 more,” she said.

The family has naturally been using less hot water during the heatwaves.

But, mindful of fluctuating costs, they have also been taking steps to reduce their fuel consumption, while “squirreling away that extra little bit of cash”.

“There’s a limit to what you can do with that given it’s our only source of heating and hot water,” she said.

She believes improved protections for heating oil customers are “so important”, but would like more of a push towards renewable sources.

“I think that the real solution is to stop using oil,” she added.

“We’ve been looking into solar panels but there’s very little support out there for people who might want to look at alternate ways for running their household.”