National Business

MONTREAL — The federal government gave the thumbs-up Friday to WestJet Airlines' takeover of Sunwing Airlines and Sunwing Vacations in a major consolidation of the Canadian aviation market following a tumultuous year for travel.

MONTREAL — Airports and airlines prepared for a surge in passengers this week ahead of spring break after a year where the industry has struggled to cope with peak travel times.

CALGARY — The estimated cost of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project has increased once again, this time to $30.9 billion. That's the latest figure from Trans Mountain Corp., the federal Crown corporation that owns the pipeline.

TORONTO — Some of the most active companies traded Friday on the Toronto Stock Exchange: Toronto Stock Exchange (19,774.92, down 311.80): Suncor Energy Inc. (TSX:SU). Energy. Down 37 cents, or 0.79 per cent, to $46.27 on 17.9 million shares.

TORONTO — Canada's main stock index lost more than 1.5 per cent Friday on broad-based weakness led by financials and technology, as U.S. markets fell after a major bank had its assets seized by the government.

NEW YORK (AP) — Fear rattled Wall Street, and stocks tumbled Friday on worries about what’s next to break under the weight of rising interest rates following the biggest U.S. bank failure in nearly 15 years. The S&P 500 dropped 1.

NEW YORK (AP) — The U.

WASHINGTON (AP) — America’s employers added a substantial 311,000 jobs in February, fewer than January’s huge gain but enough to keep pressure on the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates aggressively to fight inflation.

OTTAWA — Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland says she will table the 2023 federal budget on March 28.

OTTAWA — Employment in Canada showed modest growth in February after months of strong jobs gains, raising concerns that a bustling labour market could lead to more interest rate hikes.