National Business

COPENHAGEN — The world’s biggest shipping company, Denmark’s A.P. Moller-Maersk, on Wednesday reported a sharp rise in earnings for the fourth quarter, when global demand for goods rebounded from an earlier slump caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

WASHINGTON — U.S. consumer prices rose 0.3% in January, led by a surge in energy. But even though the gain was the biggest monthly increase since July, inflation gains over the past year have remained modest.

CALGARY — Precision Drilling Corp. reported a fourth-quarter loss of $37.5 million as its revenue fell 46 per cent compared with a year earlier. The contract drilling company says the loss amounted to $2.74 per share for the quarter ended Dec.

CHICAGO — The Chicago Teachers Union has approved a deal with the nation’s third-largest school district to get students back to class during the coronavirus pandemic, union officials announced early Wednesday.

HALIFAX — WildBrain Ltd. says it earned a second-quarter profit of $11.3 million compared with a loss in the same quarter a year earlier as its revenue improved.

TORONTO — German company Allianz X has signed a deal to take a minority stake in Canadian financial technology firm Purpose Financial.

LONDON — Police have arrested 10 people in the U.K., Belgium and Malta for allegedly hijacking mobile phones belonging to U.S.

JOHANNESBURG — South Africa will give the unapproved Johnson & Johnson vaccine to its front-line health workers beginning next week as a study to see what protection it provides from COVID-19, particularly against the variant dominant there, the

EDMONTON — Two members of Alberta Premier Jason Kenney’s caucus are challenging the province's COVID-19 economic restrictions and have joined a national coalition pushing against lockdowns.

EDMONTON — Two members of Alberta Premier Jason Kenney’s caucus are challenging the province's COVID-19 economic restrictions and have joined a national coalition pushing against lockdowns.