National Business

TOKYO — Sony Corp. plans to make its financial services unit a wholly owned subsidiary to ensure stability as it rides out the hardships brought on by the coronavirus pandemic.

ATLANTA — The cost of the spreading coronavirus pandemic dragged on profits early in the year at Home Depot. The world's biggest home improvement chain upped compensation for employees, extended dependent care benefits and waived related co-pays.

TORONTO — Chesswood Group Ltd. says it is temporarily suspending its monthly dividend as part of its plan to resume funding new business in the U.S. as closure restrictions due to the pandemic begin to lift.

GENEVA — The World Health Organization bowed to calls Monday from most of its member states to launch an independent probe into how it managed the international response to the coronavirus, which has been clouded by finger-pointing between the U.S.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Gov.

VANCOUVER — As some British Columbia businesses prepare to reopen their doors on Tuesday when the province enters the second phase of its COVID-19 restart plan, others say they're holding off while they grapple with new health protocols.

BERLIN — The leaders of Germany and France agreed Monday on a one-off 500 billion-euro ($543 billion) fund to help the European Union recover from the coronavirus pandemic, a proposal that would add further cash to an arsenal of financial measures th

Toronto fashion designer Hayley Elsaesser was unsure about adding face masks to her clothing brand two months ago, ordering just a "small amount" of samples to test out demand through her online shop.

WASHINGTON — Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell expressed optimism Sunday that the U.S. economy can begin to recover from a devastating recession in the second half of the year, assuming the coronavirus doesn't erupt in a second wave.

TORONTO — Picturesque Peggy's Cove, N.S., is normally a great place to run a business but restaurant owner John Campbell hopes he can survive the cancellation of cruise ships this season because of COVID-19.