National Business

TORONTO — An up-and-down trading session ended in positive territory for Canada's main stock index on Friday while U.S. stock markets were mixed after another day of tech sector instability.

NEW YORK — No celebs packing the front rows. No paparazzi chasing models down the streets. No stiletto-heeled crowds. No crowds at all, actually.

TORONTO — Five things to watch for in the Canadian business world in the coming week: Cabinet retreat Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his cabinet will hold a two-day retreat starting on Monday.

Retailers are ramping up plans for a transformed Christmas shopping season in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, with strategies to draw buyers early, step up their e-commerce game and convince consumers to buy gifts for far-flung friends and family.

OTTAWA — The amount Canadians owe relative to their income fell in the second quarter as government aid to help offset the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic helped lift disposable income rose while the amount of debt was relatively unchanged.

NEW YORK — It's high season for books that pick apart Donald Trump's presidency, and Rachel Maddow is a big beneficiary.

OAKVILLE, Ont. — Algonquin Power and Utilities Corp. has signed a deal to buy a majority stake in a water utility in Chile for US$92.3 million (C$121.5 million). The Ontario-based company says the agreement would see it acquire a 53.

CANBERRA, Australia — Rio Tinto chief executive Jean-Sebastien Jacques will leave the Anglo-Australian mining giant by March over the destruction of Australian Indigenous sacred sites to access iron ore, the company said on Friday.

WASHINGTON — Senate Democrats scuttled a scaled-back GOP coronavirus rescue package on Thursday as the parties argued to a standstill over the size and scope of the aid, likely ending hopes for coronavirus relief before the November election.

TORONTO — Renting out properties for short-term stays is about to get more complicated in Canada's largest city. Starting Thursday, Toronto homeowners must register with the city if they want to fill their units for any period less than 28 days.