National Business

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — South Africa's new cases of COVID-19 nearly doubled in a day, authorities reported Wednesday, signaling a dramatic surge in the country where scientists detected the omicron variant last week.

CALGARY — The Calgary Real Estate Board says home sales soared by nearly 47 per cent last month, just shy of a November record set in 2005. The board says home sales for the month amounted to 2,110, up from 1,437 during November 2020.

TORONTO — Roughly two-thirds of Canadians are seriously considering leaving their job because of issues such as compensation, declining job satisfaction, and overall well-being, a new survey has found.

EDMONTON — AutoCanada Inc. says it has bought 11 auto dealerships from the Autopoint Group in southwestern Ontario. Financial terms of the deal were not immediately available.

TORONTO — Ontario’s auditor general says some cannabis products are often out of stock because the province’s pot retailer is inaccurately forecasting inventory levels.

WASHINGTON (AP) — In a fresh sign of his growing concerns about inflation, Chair Jerome Powell said Wednesday that the Federal Reserve can't be sure that price increases will slow in the second half of next year as many economists expect.

TORONTO — Royal Bank of Canada raised its dividend Wednesday as it reported a rise in fourth-quarter profits from last year, though it said earnings were hit by lower margins in part from low interest rates and heightened competition.

BERLIN (AP) — A court has ruled that German authorities are justified in banning three pornographic websites based in Cyprus from operating in Germany due to rules intended to protect minors.

DETROIT (AP) — General Motors is forming a joint venture with Posco Chemical of South Korea to build a North American battery materials plant as it brings more steps in the electric vehicle supply chain under its umbrella.

TORONTO — Ontario’s auditor general has found the province’s securities regulator has not alerted the public to many potentially risky investments and failed to collect the majority of fines it imposed over the last decade.