National Business

TORONTO — Chief economists from Canada's big banks expect the economy to rebound this year, but say failing to control COVID-19 or get vaccines into arms could upend that recovery.

SILVER SPRING, Md. — The U.S. services sector, where most Americans work, grew for the seventh consecutive month in December even as coronavirus cases surged through the holidays.

OTTAWA — The country's merchandise trade deficit fell to $3.3 billion in November as gold exports rose and imports pulled back, Statistics Canada said Thursday. The result for November followed a revised deficit of $3.

WASHINGTON — The number of Americans seeking unemployment aid fell slightly last week to 787,000, a historically high number that points to a weak job market held back by the viral pandemic.

OTTAWA — The pandemic put household budgets to the test in 2020. For millions it meant the loss of a job or a reduction in hours, while for others it meant unexpected expenses as they made the shift to working from home.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. trade deficit jumped to $68.1 billion in November as a surge in imports overwhelmed a smaller increase in exports.

BEIJING — Lockdown measures were being imposed in a northern Chinese province where coronavirus cases more than doubled in the region near Beijing that's due to host some events in next year's Winter Olympics.

TOKYO — Japan declared a state of emergency in Tokyo and three nearby areas on Thursday as coronavirus cases continue to surge, hitting a daily record of 2,447 in the capital.

In an unprecedented step, Facebook and Twitter suspended President Donald Trump from posting to their platforms Wednesday following the storming of the U.S. Capitol by his supporters.

Shares rose in Asia on Thursday after Wall Street rallied on expectations of more stimulus for the economy, despite chaotic scenes in Washington as Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol.