National Business

Umicore says it has halted spending on a $2.76-billion battery materials plant in eastern Ontario. The global materials company says it made the decision because of scaled-back expectations for growth in the electric vehicle market.

TORONTO — Widespread gains helped push Canada's main stock index higher Friday, while U.S. stock markets also rose after an encouraging U.S. inflation report.

HALIFAX — Postmedia Network Inc. has announced plans to buy "certain businesses" belonging to SaltWire Network Inc. and The Halifax Herald Ltd., the two insolvent media companies behind Atlantic Canada’s largest newspaper chain.

The Jasper wildfires could cost the insurance industry up to $700 million, making it one of the most expensive wildfire disasters in Canadian history, DBRS Morningstar said Friday.

HALIFAX — As the Nova Scotia government announced it ended the last fiscal year with a surplus of nearly $144 million, opposition parties called for changes to spending practices that allow the governing party to approve extra spending without oversi

NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street rallied following encouraging reports on inflation and on profits at 3M and other big U.S. companies. The S&P 500 rose 1.1% for its best day in seven weeks. The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 1.

CALGARY — MEG Energy announced a quarterly dividend of 10 cents per share as it reported earnings of $136 million, saying a successful start-up of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion has helped generate better prices for its oil.

CALGARY — MEG Energy Corp. has started bringing workers back to its Christina Lake oilsands site after evacuating all non-essential personnel last week due to wildfires in northern Alberta.

VANCOUVER — Lululemon Athletica Inc. says it is pausing sales of one of its new product lines that have generated complaints from consumers.

TORONTO — Scotiabank says it has fixed an issue that caused some account holders not to receive their pay and other deposits Friday.