National Business

EDMONTON — As Alberta recorded another daily record of COVID-19 cases Thursday, its chief medical officer of health warned that rural areas are feeling the effects.

BEIJING — A Chinese spacecraft lifted off from the moon Thursday night with a load of lunar rocks, the first stage of its return to Earth, the government space agency reported.

REGINA — A union representing workers at a steel plant in Regina says nearly 500 of its members are being laid off. The United Steelworkers says the workers will be off the job starting Dec. 17 and their layoff notices are indefinite.

TORONTO — Just days after the discovery of a large party in one of its rental properties, Airbnb says it has a plan to curb New Year’s Eve parties this year while Canada works to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

TORONTO — RioCan Real Estate Investment Trust says it is cutting its payouts to unitholders by a third as the COVID-19 pandemic creates an uncertain future for shopping centres.

TORONTO — Some of the most active companies traded Thursday on the Toronto Stock Exchange: Toronto Stock Exchange (17,398.02, up 39.81 points.). Suncor Energy Inc. (TSX:SU). Energy. Up 38 cents, or 1.81 per cent, to $21.34 on 15.4 million shares.

REGINA — Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe isn't committing to a threshold suggested by his chief medical health officer for granting more people the right to gather at Christmas. Dr.

WASHINGTON — The Senate on Thursday narrowly confirmed the nomination of Christopher Waller for the Federal Reserve's Board of Governors, placing another of President Donald Trump's picks on the Fed's influential board after a string of high-profile

TORONTO — Canada's main index crept higher again Thursday on a broad-based rally as investors continued to digest November's solid gains. The S&P/TSX composite index closed up 39.81 points to 17,398.02. It reached an intraday high of 17,452.

OTTAWA — Opposition MPs pressed officials Thursday to say how ready they'll be to begin collecting GST on cross-border sales by foreign companies starting next year, as proposed by the Liberal government's fiscal update.