National Business

VANCOUVER — Leslie Guerin watched ashes and burning embers the size of bowling balls falling from the sky in Vancouver on Tuesday night. Guerin said he was 14 blocks away from a fire in the city when he heard four large explosions.

TORONTO — Manulife Financial Corp. says earnings were fairly flat in the second quarter as better market performance was offset by a sizable loss on a sale of debt instruments. The insurer says net income attributable to shareholders came in at $1.

CHILLIWACK, B.C. — Police in British Columbia's Fraser Valley say a woman and a child died in Tuesday's multi-vehicle crash on Highway 1.

TORONTO — Canada's main stock index fell almost 100 points Wednesday, tipping into the red after a strong start to the day, while U.S. markets also reversed earlier gains to end the day down. The S&P/TSX composite index closed down 98.

Shopify Inc.'s president has heard retailers talking about softening consumer spending but feels his company is weathering the storm well because of the diversity of its merchants.

The clock is ticking for fans of Canadian hardcore band F***ed Up. The Polaris Music Prize-winning Toronto act announced Wednesday that it was giving fans a limited-time offer for a full album of new music.

HALIFAX — An environmental group says Nova Scotia’s commercial swordfish fleet could generate millions in added revenue by bringing tourists along for fishing trips and using different gear.

RICHMOND, B.C.

NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street slumped after a morning rally evaporated, but the losses weren’t as bad as the manic moves that wracked markets worldwide over the last week. The S&P 500 fell 0.8% Wednesday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.

HALIFAX — A Nova Scotia judge is expected to decide Thursday whether to approve Postmedia's $1-million bid to acquire Atlantic Canada's largest newspaper chain.