National Business

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. economy grew at a solid 6.4% rate in the first three months of this year, setting the stage for what economists are forecasting could be the strongest year for the economy in possibly seven decades.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Orders to U.S. factories for big-ticket manufactured goods rose for the 12th time in the last 13 months in May, pulled up by surgin demand for civilian aircraft.

CALGARY — Oilfield services company Ensign Energy Services Inc. says it has signed a deal to buy the Canadian drilling assets of Nabors Industries Ltd. Financial terms of the agreement were not immediately available.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits dropped last week, a sign that layoffs declined and the job market is improving.

TORONTO — TD Bank Group says Bob Dorrance will retire as chief executive of TD Securities in September, a move that will prompt several other executive changes. TD says Dorrance will retire effective Sept.

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union slapped economic sanctions on Belarus on Thursday in response to what the bloc called the “escalation of serious human rights violations” including the detention of journalist Raman Pratasevich.

LONDON (AP) — The Bank of England kept its main interest rate at the record low of 0.1% on Thursday and updated its growth predictions for the British economy following the lifting of many coronavirus lockdown restrictions.

MADRID (AP) — John McAfee, the creator of McAfee antivirus software, was found dead in his jail cell near Barcelona in an apparent suicide Wednesday, hours after a Spanish court approved his extradition to the United States to face tax charges punish

WATERLOO, ONTARIO — BlackBerry Ltd. shareholders gave tepid support to the company's executive compensation proposal. Nearly 59 per cent of shareholders supported the advisory vote on executive compensation while 41 per cent opposed.

HALIFAX — A meeting of the four Atlantic premiers Wednesday afternoon ended with officials from Nova Scotia set to consider a proposal from New Brunswick to end a blockade of the Trans-Canada Highway by protesters angry at Nova Scotia's COVID-19 trav