National Business

TORONTO — Ontario is set to introduce its budget on March 23. Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy announced the date today, saying the budget will outline a "strong future" for Ontario during uncertain economic times.

Loblaw Companies Ltd. says it's facing fresh price hikes from suppliers, signalling food inflation won't be easing any time soon, but Canada's biggest grocer is still expecting its profits to rise this year.

OTTAWA — Statistics Canada says job vacancies were little changed at 848,800 in December, compared with 849,200 in November, levelling off after trending downward from a peak of more than one million in May.

OTTAWA — Black-owned businesses in Canada tend to be smaller and perform less well financially than businesses owned by white people or by other racialized groups, Statistics Canada said.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States is nominating former Mastercard CEO Ajay Banga to lead the World Bank , President Joe Biden announced on Thursday, crediting him with critical experience on global challenges including climate change.

If you’ve ever thought about what kind of funeral you’d like to have, you might be interested in planning it yourself — or even paying for it while you’re still alive. In fact, experts say it can be a smart financial decision.

CALGARY — TransAlta Corp. reported a loss of $163 million in its latest quarter compared with a loss of $78 million in the same quarter a year earlier as its revenue rose 40 per cent.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. economy expanded at a 2.7% annual rate from October through December, a solid showing despite rising interest rates and elevated inflation, the government said Thursday in a downgrade from its initial estimate .

The number of Americans filing for jobless aid fell last week as the labor market remains resilient in the face of the Federal Reserve's interest rate increases meant to cool the economy. Applications for unemployment benefits in the U.S.

TORONTO — First Quantum Minerals Ltd. has suspended ore processing operations at its Cobre Panama mine. The stoppage is the latest escalation in its dispute with the Panamanian government over tax and royalty payments.