National Business

WASHINGTON (AP) — More Americans applied for unemployment benefits last week and while layoffs remain low, it was the fifth consecutive week that claims topped the 230,000 mark and the most in almost six months.

CALGARY — Cannabis retailer High Tide Inc. has signed a deal to buy nine stores from Choom Holdings Inc. for $5.1 million in shares.

TORONTO — Some of the most active companies traded Wednesday on the Toronto Stock Exchange: Toronto Stock Exchange (18.729.66, down 104.50 points.) Barrick Gold Corp. (TSX:ABX). Materials. Down 24 cents, or 1.1 per cent, to $22.45 on 14.

TORONTO — Sunwing Airlines Inc. is rejecting a claim by pilots that it bargained in bad faith by opting not to disclose a forthcoming acquisition by WestJet.

TORONTO — Canada's main stock index bounced back near the end of day to avoid its weakest close in 15 months, but still ended down on commodity weakness with crude oil and metals sinking on recession fears.

TORONTO — The merger saga of Rogers Communications Inc. and Shaw Communications Inc. continues as two days of talks with the Competition Bureau failed to resolve the watchdog's objections to the companies' proposed deal.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal Reserve officials were concerned at their meeting last month that consumers were increasingly anticipating higher inflation, and they signaled that much higher interest rates could be needed to restrain it.

MONTREAL — The Quebec Professional Association of Real Estate Brokers says June's Montreal home sales dropped 11 per cent since the same time last year, but the market is still favouring sellers.

CALGARY — Telus Corp. marked the opening of its new 60-storey Calgary headquarters on Wednesday. The new $400-million skyscraper, Telus Sky, has been in development for nine years and is now the third-tallest building in downtown Calgary.

CALGARY — Tidewater Midstream and Infrastructure Ltd. has pleaded guilty to a charge related to the company's release of acidic water in west-central Alberta in October 2019.