National Business

TORONTO — Some of the most active companies traded Thursday on the Toronto Stock Exchange: Toronto Stock Exchange (17,958.09, up 23.35 points.) Aphria Inc. (TSX:APHA). Health care. Up $2.55, or 20.08 per cent, to $15.25 on 17.9 million shares.

TORONTO — The loonie climbed to its highest level in nearly three years Thursday on anticipation that a global economic recovery will drive global demand for Canadian commodities. The Canadian dollar traded for 79.

TORONTO — Aphria Inc. chief executive Irwin Simon is seeing green as Democrat Joe Biden prepares to be sworn in as president of the United States next week. Simon said Thursday that he has his sights set on the burgeoning U.S.

TORONTO — Ontario homeowners who haven't started work on their renovation projects as of Jan. 12 will have to put their plans on hold under the province's new construction rules.

FORT MCMURRAY — A worker is missing after a dozer broke through ice on an inactive Suncor tailings pond in northern Alberta. Suncor Energy Inc.

WASHINGTON — The number of people seeking unemployment aid soared last week to 965,000, the most since late August and a sign that the resurgent virus has likely escalated layoffs.

Toronto-Dominion Bank has signed a deal to buy Wells Fargo's Canadian direct equipment finance business. Financial terms of the deal were not immediately available.

TORONTO — Canadians who weren’t happy with some of their holiday gifts or who changed their mind after making purchases might face trouble when trying to get their money back.

PARIS — France's government says it opposes the proposed 16.2 billion-euro ($19.6 billion) takeover of French supermarket chain Carrefour by Canadian convenience store group Couche-Tard.

BEIJING — China is seeing a new surge in coronavirus cases in its frozen northeast as a World Health Organization team arrived to investigate the origins of the pandemic.