National Business

TORONTO — North American stock markets followed two strong months of recovery by kicking off June slightly higher amid cautious optimism about economic reopenings. The S&P/TSX composite index closed up 43.38 points at 15,236.

TORONTO — Ontario is temporarily amending its labour laws to help businesses avoid permanently laying off workers and paying out severance, which could send some into bankruptcy during the COVID-19 pandemic.

TORONTO — As provinces begin to reopen their economies, there's a movement afoot to use mobile phones to alert health authorities to new cases that could lead to future outbreaks.

LONGUEUIL, Que. — Quebec Maple Syrup Producers say they set a new record for maple syrup production this year. The group says this year's harvest is estimated at more than 175 million pounds of maple syrup for all of Quebec, an average yield of 3.

TORONTO — Bell Canada will sell most of its data centres for $1.04 billion to California-based Equinix Inc., which provides locations to house equipment for cloud computing and internet services. Montreal-based Bell, the main subsidiary of BCE Inc.

Reitmans (Canada) Ltd. will close two of its retail chains and lay off roughly 1,400 workers as the company continues a restructuring amid the pandemic. Montreal-based Reitmans said Monday that it will shutter its 77 Addition Elle stores on Aug.

VANCOUVER — HSBC Canada says Linda Seymour has been appointed as the bank's president and chief executive, effective Sept. 1.

MONTREAL — The billionaire founder of the Cirque du Soleil is ending efforts to recover millions of dollars paid to Canadian tax authorities relating to his 2009 stay on board the International Space Station.

WASHINGTON — U.S. construction spending fell 2.9% in April, the largest drop in 18 months, with broad declines across all building activity as shutdowns hobbled projects and workers were told to stay home.

WASHINGTON — American factories slowed for the third consecutive month in May as they continued to sustain economic damage from the coronavirus pandemic.