National Business

LONDON (AP) — The Bank of England cut its main interest rate Thursday by a quarter percentage point to 4%, as policy makers seek to bolster the sluggish U.K. economy.

CALGARY — Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. says its acquisition strategy is focused on cash flow as it closed multiple purchases in recent months and reported profits rose in the second quarter.

The chief executive of Restaurant Brands International Inc. says he's seeing a rebound in consumer confidence after a slower start to the year.

Pipeline operator South Bow Corp. says it expects an in-depth report out in September on a recent pipeline leak, but so far it doesn't see it indicating wider problems on its Keystone pipeline.

MONTREAL — WSP Global Inc. saw its second-quarter revenue and earnings climb as the company experienced strong acquisition growth. The Montreal-based engineering firm said its net earnings attributable to shareholders reached $279.

MONTREAL — Montreal-area home sales rose 9.7 per cent in July compared with the same month a year ago, as the region saw its highest level of transactional activity for the month since 2021.

TORONTO — Ontario is taking a step toward planning new pipelines to bring Alberta oil and gas to the province for refining, issuing a request for proposals today for a feasibility study.

TORONTO — A great shift is underway in Toronto months after the closures of several supervised consumption sites, as their users seek alternatives and drop-in centres see an alarming jump in overdoses.

TORONTO — Shoppers will get their first peek at what the Hudson's Bay brand looks like under Canadian Tire Corp. Ltd. ownership later this year.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans filing for jobless benefits rose modestly last week, a sign that employers still retaining workers despite economic uncertainty related to U.S. trade policy. Jobless claims for the week ending Aug.