National Business

MONTREAL — National Bank of Canada reported a second-quarter profit of $896 million, down slightly from $906 million a year earlier. The Montreal-based bank says the profit amounted to $2.

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks are holding steadier a day after leaping back within a few good days’ worth of gains from its all-time high. The S&P 500 was up 0.1% in early trading Wednesday.

WATERLOO — Definity Financial Corp. says it will acquire most of the Canadian operations of U.S. insurance firm Travelers for $3.3 billion. Definity says the deal will make it the fourth largest property and casualty insurer in Canada.

MILAN (AP) — Stellantis , the world’s fourth-largest carmaker , named Italian auto executive Antonio Filosa as its new chief executive officer Wednesday, replacing Carlos Tavares , who resigned under pressure last year.

Bell Canada has announced it will open six artificial intelligence data centres in B.C. as part of a plan to create the largest AI compute project in Canada.

VIENNA (AP) — The head of the United Nations’ atomic watchdog said Wednesday that “the jury is still out” on negotiations between Iran and the U.S.

The latest TransUnion debt report shows total debt continued to grow in the first quarter compared with the year before, driven mainly by young people and newcomers.

MONTREAL — A federal Crown corporation paid more than $330,000 to an outside marketing firm to rebrand a planned passenger rail project between Toronto and Quebec City and boost its popularity.

WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he told Canada it would cost $61 billion to join his "Golden Dome" plan for a missile defence shield while returning to his "51st state" rhetoric.

OTTAWA — Prime Minister Mark Carney's government confirmed Tuesday it is joining Europe's massive new rearmament plan.