National Business

OSHAWA, Ont. — General Motors says it plans to restart some production at its engine plant in St. Catharines, Ont. next week ahead of a wider restart of North American operations the week of May 18.

CALGARY — Consumer demand for fuel is growing slightly after a sudden decline due to measures to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic but the CEO of Suncor Energy Inc.

TORONTO — Barrick Gold Corp. has withdrawn production guidance for its Porgera gold mine in Papua New Guinea after suspending operations amid a dispute with the national government over an extension of its expired mining permit.

DETROIT — General Motors' first-quarter net income fell 88%, but it still managed to make $247 million despite the arrival of the global coronavirus pandemic. U.S. automakers suspended production in much of the world in late March.

TORONTO — Torstar Corp. lost $23.

BALTIMORE — U.S. businesses cut an unprecedented 20.2 million jobs in April, an epic collapse with coronavirus outbreak closing the offices, factories, schools, construction sites and stores that propel the U.S. economy.

NEW YORK — Americans stuck at home staring at fading furniture and wondering what to cook for dinner have been a boon for television networks like HGTV and the Food Network.

TORONTO — Norbord Inc. cut its dividend due to the uncertainty caused by the pandemic as it reported a profit in its first quarter, boosted by higher oriented strand board prices and lower raw material and energy prices.

CALGARY — Crescent Point Energy Corp. reported a $2.32-billion first-quarter loss as it took a non-cash charge of $3.56 billion due to the plunge in oil prices. The company says the loss amounted to $4.

BRUSSELS — The European Union predicted Wednesday “a recession of historic proportions this year” due to the impact of the coronavirus as it released its first official estimates of the damage the pandemic is inflicting on the bloc’s economy.