National Business

North American stock markets continued their winning streak Monday, as investors' growing confidence that former U.S. President Donald Trump may be heading back to the White House translated to fresh gains. The S&P/TSX composite index was up 78.

VICTORIA — Plastic shopping bags and other single-use products are no longer available at British Columbia stores as the government implements the latest step in its plan to phaseout certain plastic items and keep harmful chemicals out of landfills.

EDMONTON — A major oilsands producer has been fined after hundreds of birds, wolves and coyotes were exposed to toxins at one of its tailings ponds. The Alberta Energy Regulator has assessed a fine of $278,000 against Canadian Natural Resources Ltd.

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks ticked to the edge of records as Wall Street’s momentum keeps pushing it upward. The S&P 500 climbed 0.3% Monday but finished just shy of its all-time high set last week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Chair Jerome Powell said Monday that the Federal Reserve is becoming more convinced that inflation is headed back to its 2% target and said the Fed would cut rates before the pace of price increases actually reached that point.

TORONTO — Ontario Premier Doug Ford's government is rushing to get ready-to-drink cocktails on grocery store shelves amid a strike at the province's main liquor retailer that has focused on that very issue.

The Tourism Industry Association of Ontario is calling for a swift resolution to an ongoing strike by the province's liquor store workers, saying the labour dispute is affecting tourism operators during their peak season.

CALGARY — The ban on outdoor watering in Calgary and surrounding communities is staying in place for at least the next few days.

HAMILTON — Seven years after it climbed out of creditor protection and embarked on a major turnaround, Stelco Holdings Inc. said it will be acquired by Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. in a $3.4-billion deal. In a release Monday, the storied Hamilton, Ont.

The Bank of Canada says business and consumer sentiment remained subdued during the second quarter of the year even as the country saw its first interest rate cut in years.