National Business

OTTAWA — Statistics Canada says wholesale sales rose 4.0 per cent in January to $69.2 billion. The agency says the increase was helped by growth in the machinery, equipment and supplies, and the building material and supplies subsectors.

OTTAWA — The national unemployment rate was 8.2 per cent in February. Statistics Canada also released seasonally adjusted, three-month moving average unemployment rates for major cities.

For the last seven years, Elisa Cardona has worked as a hostess at the Pacific Gateway Hotel near Vancouver, greeting guests at the breakfast restaurant and helping servers when needed.

DHAKA, Bangladesh — A Bangladeshi satellite television station has hired the country’s first transgender news anchor, saying it hopes the appointment will help change society.

CASPER, Wyo. — President Joe Biden’s bid to tackle climate change is running straight through the heart of the U.S.

MONTREAL — Lightspeed POS Inc. says it has reached agreement on an acquisition valued at US$350 million that will beef up its presence in Asia-Pacific.

VANCOUVER — CanWel Building Materials Group Ltd. is reporting higher fourth-quarter revenue and earnings on strong demand and prices for its products thanks to surging home improvement and new home construction activity.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Iranian authorities have arrested multiple music producers connected to a California-based Iranian pop singer, his management company and Iranian media said Thursday, in Tehran’s latest effort to halt what it deems decad

TORONTO — Some of the most active companies traded Thursday on the Toronto Stock Exchange: Toronto Stock Exchange (18,844.57, up 154.57 points.) ClearStream Energy Services Inc. (TSX:CSM). Energy. Up three cents, or 46.15 per cent, to 9.

MONCTON, N.B. — Organigram Holdings Inc. stock soared by more than 40 per cent Thursday as a subsidiary of one of the globe's biggest tobacco companies purchased a stake in the business. Organigram's stock jumped by $1.45 to reach $5.