National Business

WASHINGTON (AP) — More Americans applied for employment benefits last week following three straight weeks of declines. Jobless claims rose by 23,000 to 248,000 last week, the Labor Department reported Thursday.

TORONTO — When Wattpad Corp.’s co-founder thinks about the future of his tech company, he envisions using machine learning and data to tweak stories that will be streamed on car entertainment systems or through voice assistants like Alexa and Siri.

TOKYO (AP) — Japan announced Thursday it will ease its tough COVID-19 border controls by increasing the number of people allowed to enter each day and reduce quarantine requirements following criticism that its current policy is unscientific and xeno

The leader of the Federal Aviation Administration, whose agency has been criticized for its oversight of Boeing and handling of questions surrounding 5G interference with aircraft, said Wednesday he will step down March 31.

TORONTO — The head of Canada's largest private-sector union has taken a leave of absence to deal with some health issues. Unifor president Jerry Dias tweeted that his social media account will be quiet for a while.

TORONTO — Kinross Gold Corp. says it swung to a US$2.7 million loss in the fourth quarter as it was hampered by downtime at some of its operations. The loss compared with a US$783.3 million profit equal to 62 cents per share a year earlier.

TORONTO — Some of the most active companies traded Wednesday on the Toronto Stock Exchange: Toronto Stock Exchange (21,383.64, down 118.91 points.) Enbridge Inc. (TSX:ENB). Energy. Up 18 cents, or 0.3 per cent, to $52.79 on 17.3 million shares.

TORONTO — Organizations have accelerated inclusion and Environmental, Social, Corporate (ESG) efforts, but Corporate Canada still has ways to go when it comes to advancing gender diversity at the leadership level, a new survey has found.

TORONTO — A Shopify Inc. selloff pulled Canada's main stock index lower while minutes from a recent Federal Reserve meeting calmed U.S. market fears about an impending interest rate hike.

Shopify Inc.'s stock plummeted to the lowest level in nearly two years Wednesday after the e-commerce giant warned that its revenue growth will slow this year as the globe eases up on restrictions meant to quell the COVID-19 pandemic.