National Business

TORONTO — North American stock markets posted a second day of gains to start September as optimism about COVID-19 trumped disappointing U.S. private payroll numbers.

CALGARY — The partial shutdown of a diluent supply pipeline following a spill near Fort McMurray has halted production at the Kearl oilsands mining operation in northern Alberta, operator Imperial Oil Ltd. said Wednesday.

MONTREAL — Dollarama Inc.

NEW YORK — The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have a new home: Netflix.

TORONTO — Discount Car and Truck Rentals is officially owned by the parent company of Enterprise Rent-A-Car. Enterprise Holdings Inc.

CALGARY — Shares in debt-laden Calfrac Well Services Ltd. jumped 10 per cent on Wednesday morning after a Texas rival committed to a takeover offer if shareholders reject a management-backed restructuring plan.

VANCOUVER — Metro Vancouver home sales hit 3,047 in August at a benchmark price of $1.04 million, as the housing market continued its recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

WASHINGTON — U.S. companies added jobs at a modest pace last month, a private survey found, a sign that while hiring continues, it is only soaking up a relatively small proportion of the unemployed.

DEARBORN, Mich. — Ford Motor Co. will offer early retirement incentives with hopes of cutting its U.S. white-collar workforce by 1,400 more positions.

FRANKFURT — Daimler AG on Wednesday unveiled the new version of its Mercedes-Benz S-Class luxury sedan, the company's most important model and one it hopes will generate fat profits to help the Stuttgart-based automaker through the COVID-19 recession