National Business

TORONTO — Base metal and battery metal stocks led a broad-based rally on the TSX Thursday, as Canada's main stock index climbed almost 150 points, while U.S. stock markets also moved higher. The S&P/TSX composite index closed up 149.

OTTAWA — Legislation that lifts GST charges off rental developments and amends the country's competition law has passed in the Senate and is poised to become law.

Empire Co. Ltd. is planning to crack down on what it says are unjustifiable cost increase requests from some of its biggest suppliers.

NEW YORK (AP) — Most of Wall Street rose Thursday following its big rally from the day before on excitement that several cuts to interest rates may indeed be coming next year. The S&P 500 gained 0.3% to pull within 1.

MONTREAL — The head of Transat AT Inc. said consumers show little sign of travel wariness, but increased competition and customer financial strain have begun to thin out profit margins even as the travel company guns for major growth next year.

TORONTO — A trio of sponsors are backing Hockey Canada once more, after pulling support for the organization when it was embroiled in scandal last year. Fast food chain Tim Hortons, telecommunications firm Telus Corp.

TORONTO — Home sales, prices and listings fell in November from a month earlier as many potential buyers and sellers hunkered down to wait for signs of relief on interest rates, the Canadian Real Estate Association said Thursday. Sales fell 0.

Winnipeg's renowned candy company, the Nutty Club, is shutting its doors after more than 100 years of business.

OTTAWA — Statistics Canada says manufacturing sales fell 2.8 per cent to $71 billion, led by a drop in petroleum and coal product sales as well as lower sales in the machinery and computer and electronic product subsectors.

As rent, mortgage payments, grocery bills and the cost of just about everything else rises, more and more Canadians are feeling the weight — not just on their budgets, but also on their mental well-being.