National Business

WELLINGTON, New Zealand — Australia's economy grew by 3.3% in the third quarter, rebounding from its first recession in nearly three decades as it recovered from pandemic-related shocks, according to figures released Wednesday.

TORONTO — Sun Life Financial Inc. says its president and chief executive will retire next year. The Toronto-based insurance company says Dean Connor, 64, will depart Sun Life on Aug. 6.

RIO DE JANEIRO — A large gang of heavily armed bank robbers invaded the Brazilian city of Cameta just one day after a similar force struck another mid-sized city on the opposite side of the country, taking residents hostage as they looted a bank.

TORONTO — A coalition of about 50 retailers is calling on the Ontario government to lift COVID-19 restrictions for non-essential stores it claims is making things worse.

TORONTO — Three promising COVID-19 vaccine candidates may have spurred optimism from investors, but Royal Bank of Canada's chief executive is warning the country is not rid of its pandemic troubles yet.

TORONTO — Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd. has agreed to sell its interests in the RiverStone Europe insurance business to a fund managed by CVC Capital Partners.

MONTREAL — Garda World Security Corp. has raised its hostile takeover offer for British security firm G4S to 3.68 billion pounds or about C$6.3 billion.

NASHVILLE — From skateboarding to Fleetwood Mac to learning Cardi B's rump-shaking choreography, TikTok users got creative in a pandemic year with new songs, dances and memes in 60 seconds or less.

MONTREAL — National Bank of Canada topped expectations as it reported a fourth-quarter profit of $492 million. The Montreal-based bank says its profit for the quarter ended Oct. 31 amounted to $1.

BEIJING — A Chinese spacecraft sent to return lunar rocks to Earth collected its first samples Wednesday after landing on the moon, the government announced, adding to a string of successes for Beijing's increasingly ambitious space program.