National Business

TORONTO — National Bank is the latest financial institution to delay its plans to have more employees return to the office as concerns increase about the highly transmissible Omicron variant of COVID-19.

The Canadian Real Estate Association says housing sales will moderate next year, but prices aren't expected to ease any time soon.

LONDON, Ont. — The organization that oversees the St. Lawrence Seaway says general cargo shipments have surged 71 per cent so far this operating season, helping to offset a weakened grain crop. The St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corp.

EDMONTON — Flair Airlines plans to expand its fleet to 30 aircraft by mid-2023, more than double the current size as it strives for a 50-plane fleet within five years.

BRUSSELS (AP) — Omicron is expected to be the dominant coronavirus variant in the European Union's 27 nations by mid-January, the bloc's top official said Wednesday amid concerns that a dramatic rise in infections will leave Europe shrouded in gloom

CALGARY — Parkland Corp. says it is ramping up processing at its B.C. refinery following the restart of the Trans Mountain pipeline. Calgary-based Parkland paused processing operations at its Burnaby refinery from Nov. 22 to Dec.

OTTAWA — Canada's national annual inflation rate was 4.7 per cent in November, Statistics Canada says.

OTTAWA — Statistics Canada says manufacturing sales rose 4.3 per cent in October, helped by gains in the auto sector and primary metal industry. The agency says manufacturing sales climbed $61.2 billion in October after posting a 2.

OTTAWA — Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. says the annual pace of housing starts in November rose 26 per cent compared with October as starts of apartments, condos and other types of multiple-unit housing projects climbed higher.

NEW YORK (AP) — Americans slowed their spending in November from October, but continued shopping despite higher prices and shortages in stores. Retail sales rose a modest seasonally adjusted 0.