National Business

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate passed a stopgap spending bill Thursday that avoids a short-term shutdown and funds the federal government through Feb. 18 after leaders defused a partisan standoff over federal vaccine mandates.

Officials in Oregon are asking for public assistance to locate the person or persons responsible for poisoning eight wolves in the eastern part of the state earlier this year.

VANCOUVER — A container truck driver strike at two companies serving the Port of Vancouver that was set to begin Friday will be avoided.

TORONTO — Rogers Communications Inc. says it has hired the former head of Quebecor's Videotron as president of its home and business division. Robert Dépatie will join the Toronto-based telecommunications giant on Monday.

TORONTO — Some of the most active companies traded Thursday on the Toronto Stock Exchange: Toronto Stock Exchange (20,762.03, up 297.43 points.) Manulife Financial Corp. (TSX:MFC). Financials. Up 33 cents, or 1.43 per cent, to $23.40 on 20.

TORONTO — Canada's main stock index climbed nearly 1.5 per cent on its best day in 10 months amid a broad-based rally with strength in financials despite uncertainty about the latest COVID-19 variant. The S&P/TSX composite index closed up 297.

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif.

TORONTO — TD Bank Group shares climbed almost five per cent Thursday afternoon after the bank reported fourth-quarter earnings that surprised to the upside and it raised its dividend by 13 per cent. The bank's stock closed up $4.52 or 4.

SECAUCUS, N.J. (AP) — If you've turned on a television in the last three years, chances are you've been inundated with advertisements for sports betting, and not only during game broadcasts.

CALGARY — Canadian oil and gas companies have been hesitant to loosen the purse strings in spite of this fall's commodity price boom, and the arrival of the new Omicron COVID-19 variant may help to explain why.