TORONTO — Five things to watch for in the Canadian business world in the coming week: Inflation Statistics Canada will release its July reading for inflation on Monday when it publishes its consumer price index for the month. The annual rate of inflation slowed to 2.8 per cent in June amid a 10 per cent drop in the cost of gasoline month-over-month. Home sales The Canadian Real Estate Association is expected to release home sales figures for July on Tuesday. In its updated outlook for 2026 published last month, the association said it expects national home sales to decline 1.4 per cent this year, marking a reversal from its April forecast of a one per cent gain. New tariffs A new round of 50 per cent tariffs from the U.S. on nearly US$20 billion worth of Canadian goods is set to take effect Wednesday. Unlike most of President Donald Trump’s other tariffs, the duties would not exempt goods that comply with the Canada-U.S.-Mexico trade agreement. Cross-border travel Statistics Canada will release data on Thursday detailing travel between Canada and other countries for June. In May, the number of Canadian-resident return trips from the United States increased 9.9 per cent year-over-year, while trips to Canada by U.S. residents jumped 13 per cent. Canadian-resident return trips from overseas rose 3.3 per cent that month, while trips to Canada by overseas residents increased 6.2 per cent. Retail sales On Friday, Statistics Canada will release its retail trade figures for June. The agency said last month that its early estimate suggested a gain in retail sales of 0.4 per cent in June. Retail sales in May were up one per cent at $73.7 billion. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 16, 2026.
