National Business

MONTREAL — Two Montreal-based mining companies with West African gold operations say their shareholders have overwhelmingly approved a $1-billion combination deal. SEMAFO Inc. and Endeavour Mining Corp. say more than 99.

TORONTO — Some of the most active companies traded Thursday on the Toronto Stock Exchange: Toronto Stock Exchange (15,262.73, down 9.30 points.) Sun Life Financial Inc. (TSX:SLF). Financials. Down 30 cents, or 0.62 per cent, to $48.09 on 24.

TORONTO — Canada's main stock index slipped lower at the end of Thursday trading as a two-day rally by the heavyweight financials sector concluded with banks being among the biggest decliners on the day.

BILLINGS, Mont. — A U.S. appeals court on Thursday turned down a request by the Trump administration and energy industry groups to revive a permit program for new oil and gas pipelines that had been cancelled by a lower court.

CALGARY — The owners of Canada's private nursing homes are under increasing pressure from investors and critics alike as infections and deaths from the COVID-19 outbreak continue among the country's oldest and most vulnerable citizens.

Sea-Doo maker BRP Inc. is facing a rough ride after the COVID-19 pandemic sank profits last quarter, with the company scrambling to cut costs while ramping up production following factory shutdowns.

TORONTO — Slashed interest rates and a widespread economic shutdown ate into second-quarter profits at Canada's major banks, with financial institutions saying deep wells of cash are needed to protect themselves from the impact of the COVID-19 pandem

NEW YORK — Jonathan Karp, who has worked with authors ranging from Sen. Edward Kennedy to Susan Orlean, has been named the new CEO of Simon & Schuster. He replaces Carolyn Reidy, who died two weeks ago.

MONTREAL — Air Canada has increased the size of a financing deal announced earlier this week to roughly $1.4 billion as it works to bolster its coffers to deal with the pandemic. The company says the shares in the offering have been priced at $16.

BALTIMORE — April had a record collapse in Americans signing contracts to buy homes, a reflection of the broader shutdown of economic activity in response to the coronavirus outbreak.