National Business

NEW YORK — Is it Mr. Potato Head or not? Hasbro created confusion Thursday when it announced that it would drop the “Mr.” from the brand’s name in order to be more inclusive and so all could feel “welcome in the Potato Head world.

CANBERRA, Australia — Facebook announced on Friday preliminary agreements with three Australian publishers, a day after the Parliament passed a law that would make the digital giants pay for news.

CALGARY — Pembina Pipeline Corp. is reporting a $1.2 billion net fourth-quarter loss thanks mainly to $1.6 billion in non-cash after-tax impairment charges on its proposals to build an Alberta petrochemical plant and Oregon LNG export facility.

WASHINGTON — The Democratic-led House passed a bill Thursday that would enshrine LGBTQ protections in the nation's labour and civil rights laws, a top priority of President Joe Biden, though the legislation faces an uphill battle in the Senate.

NEW YORK — Best Buy said Thursday that it laid off 5,000 full-time store workers earlier this month, even as the company's sales soared during the pandemic as homebound people bought laptops, TVs and other gadgets.

TORONTO — TD Bank Group topped expectations as it reported its first-quarter profit rose 10 per cent compared with a year ago. Yet the bank's Toronto-listed shares fell nearly 1.7 per cent to close at $78.

TORONTO — Some of the most active companies traded Monday on the Toronto Stock Exchange: Toronto Stock Exchange (18,223.54, down 260.99 points.) ClearStream Energy Services Inc. (TSX:CSM). Energy. Up six cents, or 171.43 per cent, to 9.

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — A standalone Peppa Pig theme park is set to open next year at the Legoland Florida Resort, park officials announced Thursday.

TORONTO — Major stock indexes in Canada and the U.S. closed lower Thursday as inflation fears swirled and the Canadian loonie rose over 80 cents US before falling back to earth.

Loblaw Companies Ltd.'s discount grocery stores are starting to win back market share after consumers flocked to conventional supermarkets at the outset of the pandemic, the company's president said Thursday.