National Business

NEW YORK (AP) — Americans, beset by product shortages, rising prices and the arrival of omicron, sharply cut their spending in December after a burst of early spending in the fall boosted this year's holiday shopping season.

BEIJING (AP) — China’s politically volatile global trade surplus surged to $676.4 billion in 2021, likely the highest ever for any country, as exports jumped 29.9% over a year earlier despite semiconductor shortages that disrupted manufacturing.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court has stopped a major push by the Biden administration to boost the nation's COVID-19 vaccination rate, a requirement that employees at large businesses get a vaccine or test regularly and wear a mask on the job.

MONTREAL — Cogeco Communications Inc. says its net earnings were flat in its latest quarter despite higher revenues following a U.S. acquisition. The Montreal-based company says profits attributable to shareholders were $106.8 million or $2.

SEATTLE — Microsoft said Thursday it is opening an inquiry into how it responds to workplace sexual harassment and gender discrimination, including its handling of allegations about co-founder Bill Gates.

MONTREAL — The federal government says the vaccine mandate for truckers crossing into Canada from the United States will come into effect this Saturday as planned, despite a previous statement from the Canada Border Services Agency that said Canadian

TORONTO — Some of the most active companies traded Thursday on the Toronto Stock Exchange: Toronto Stock Exchange (21,292.96, down 102.04 points.) The Toronto-Dominion Bank (TSX:TD). Financials. Up 30 cents, or 0.3 per cent, to $101.73 on 11.

TORONTO — North American stock markets moved lower as the technology sector was hurt by comments from the dovish Federal Reserve's vice chair nominee that interest rates have to increase soon to fight inflation.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Months after requesting documents from more than a dozen social platforms, the House committee investigating the Capitol insurrection has issued subpoenas targeting Twitter , Meta , Reddit and YouTube after lawmakers said the compan

BOSTON (AP) — Navient, a major student loan collecting company, agreed to cancel $1.7 billion in debt owed by more than 66,000 borrowers across the U.S. and pay over $140 million in other penalties to settle allegations of abusive lending practices.