National Business

CALGARY — WestJet Airlines Ltd. is asking the federal labour minister for an exemption to Canada Labour Code provisions that would facilitate mass layoffs.

WASHINGTON — Efforts to forecast the U.S. economy's path to recovery from the current deep downturn face “a whole new level of uncertainty," Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said Thursday.

REGINA — The Saskatchewan government says restaurants, gyms and nail salons can reopen in about two weeks.

DETROIT — Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer prevailed Thursday in a high-stakes challenge by Republican lawmakers who sued over her authority to declare emergencies and order sweeping restrictions during the coronavirus outbreak.

Canadians are increasingly showing signs of being fed up with airlines, which are offering travel vouchers rather than refunds to passengers whose flights have been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

TORONTO — Some of the most active companies traded Thursday on the Toronto Stock Exchange: Toronto Stock Exchange (14,884.85, down 112.78 points.) Sun Life Financial Inc. (TSX:SLF). Financials. Up 18 cents, or 0.38 per cent, to $47.06 on 25.

TORONTO — Potential U.S. retaliation against China over COVID-19 and continuously high jobless claims pushed North American stock markets lower on Thursday. Tensions between the world's two largest economies have been rising with efforts in the U.S.

WASHINGTON — Signs of renewed business activity are surfacing across the country as states gradually reopen economies and some businesses call a portion of their laid-off staffers back to work.

The coronavirus pandemic that forced the shutdown of businesses across Rhode Island sent the state’s unemployment rate soaring to 17% in April, the state Department of Labor and Training announced Thursday. That’s up from 4.7% in March and 3.

As publishers try to deal with the massive disruption to the book industry in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, many are bracing for another big blow that could arrive over the coming weeks as more retailers open their doors.