National Business

TORONTO — North American stock markets enjoyed a broad-based rally Tuesday as improving U.S. stimulus hopes helped to increase gold prices and the materials sector. "Fiscal negotiations in the U.S.

CALGARY — Shareholders of two rival energy companies voted in favour of joining forces on Tuesday, clearing the way for Cenovus Energy Inc.'s multi-billion dollar takeover of Husky Energy Inc.

MONTREAL — Transat AT Inc.’s shareholders overwhelmingly approved a revised purchase offer from Air Canada despite the disclosure of a late and higher-priced competing bid.

Canadian home sales rose 32.1 per cent in November compared with the same month last year, matching the record-breaking year-over-year increase seen in October, the Canadian Real Estate Association said on Tuesday.

LONDON — Big tech companies face hefty fines in the European Union and Britain if they treat rivals unfairly or fail to protect users on their platforms, in proposed regulations unveiled Tuesday by officials in Brussels and London.

MONTREAL — Videotron says it is gradually launching its fifth-generation wireless network in Montreal before adding other regions of Quebec. The deployment over the next few years will be done in collaboration with Samsung.

TORONTO — Canada's most prominent banks and insurance companies have won the right to host their next annual general meetings online as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.

STOCKHOLM — Swedish fashion retailer H&M says its sales fell 10% in the fourth quarter as the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic stalled consumer spending, cutting short a promising recovery seen in the third quarter.

OTTAWA — Manufacturing sales grew 0.3 per cent to $54.1 billion in October, led by the paper, and petroleum and coal industries, Statistics Canada said Tuesday. The agency said the rise followed a revised increase of 2.

WASHINGTON — U.S. industrial production increased 0.4% in November with manufacturing receiving a boost from a rebound in output at auto plants after three months of declines.