National Business

OTTAWA — Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. says the annual pace of housing starts slowed by 7.3 per cent in March.

TORONTO — The Stars Group Inc. says two influential proxy advisory firms have recommended that shareholders back its deal to be acquired by Flutter Entertainment. The company says Institutional Shareholder Services Inc. and Glass Lewis & Co.

TOKYO — Asian shares were mostly lower, gyrating in early Wednesday trading amid uncertainty over the coronavirus outbreak, which continues to claim more lives around the world. Japan's Nikkei 225 inched up 0.1% to 18,974.06 in morning trading.

New York City’s death toll from the coronavirus rose past 4,000 on Tuesday, eclipsing the number killed at the World Trade Center on 9-11 .

TORONTO — Ontario will allow cannabis delivery and curbside pick up from authorized retail stores during the COVID-19 pandemic after they were taken off the essential businesses list.

MONTREAL — Former SNC-Lavalin Group Inc. CEO Neil Bruce earned a full $7 million in 2019, though his tenure came to an end less than halfway through the year. Bruce, who ceded the top spot to Ian Edwards in June, received a base salary of $1.

TORONTO — BlackBerry Ltd. says its researchers have uncovered how China-backed hackers have been able to extract data from many of the world's servers for a decade — largely without being noticed by cyber security.

TORONTO — Some of the most active companies traded Tuesday on the Toronto Stock Exchange: Toronto Stock Exchange ( 13,614.14, up 21.44 points.) Cenovus Energy Inc. (TSX:CVE). Energy. Up five cents, or 1.32 per cent, to $3.85 on 22.9 million shares.

TORONTO — Canada's main stock index inched higher on Tuesday while U.S. markets dipped after strong rallies since last month's lows. The S&P/TSX composite index closed up 21.44 points at 13,614.14 after hitting an intraday high of 14,062.71.

HALIFAX — Nova Scotia-based undergarment manufacturer Stanfield's Ltd.