National Business

TORONTO — Canadian Tire Corp. Ltd. executives are seeing early signs that consumers could soon ease up on the careful shopping habits they adopted to cope with inflation, but their outlook on the economy is still far from rosy.

LONDON (AP) — The Bank of England cut its main interest rate by a quarter of a percentage point to 4.75% on Thursday after inflation across the U.K.

TORONTO — Hannah Logan didn't expect to wind up in the hospital, or face a pricey bill for X-rays and medication when she travelled to Bosnia over a decade ago.

SASKATOON, Sask. — Cameco Corp. increased its annual dividend as it reported a third-quarter profit attributable to equity holders of $7 million, down from $148 million a year ago.

The number of Americans applying for jobless aid ticked up last week but layoffs remain at historically low levels. The Labor Department reported Thursday that jobless claim applications rose by 3,000 to 221,000 for the week of Nov. 2.

The Canadian Institute for Health Information says health-care spending in Canada is projected to reach a new high in 2024. The annual report released Thursday says total health spending is expected to hit $372 billion, or $9,054 per Canadian.

Shares retreated in Asia early Thursday after U.S. stocks stormed to records as investors wagered on what Donald Trump’s return to the White House will mean for the economy and the world.

WASHINGTON — Donald Trump clinched the United States election after a tumultuous campaign and Canadian officials talked up the important relationship between neighbours in congratulating the former president on his extraordinary comeback on Wednesday

EDMONTON — The Alberta government is asking rural municipalities to send letters pointing the finger at specific oil and gas companies that aren't paying their property taxes -- but one rural leader says there's no hope for enforcement.

WINNIPEG — Great-West Lifeco Inc. says it earned $859 million in the third quarter, down from $905 million a year earlier. The insurer says base earnings, or adjusted earnings, for the quarter totalled $1.