National Business

TORONTO — The head of the Royal Bank of Canada is warning the economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic will likely be slower and more uneven than originally thought.

TORONTO — COVID-19 will have a more profound impact on the world than the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the United States nearly two decades ago, says the chief executive of the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce.

The CEO of TC Energy Corp. says the company is fine-tuning its plan to guard against the spread of COVID-19 as it moves ahead with site preparation for the US$8-billion Keystone XL Pipeline project.

MISSISSAUGA, Ont. — Maple Leaf Foods Inc. is suspending operations in its poultry plant in Brampton, Ont., after three employees at the facility tested positive for COVID-19.

The president of Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. says he supports the idea of Canada taking part in an international agreement to reduce production to support global oil prices.

VANCOUVER — Vancity is temporarily cutting credit card interest rates to zero and deferring minimum payments for those facing financial difficulty as a result of COVID-19.

OTTAWA — Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. says the annual pace of housing starts slowed by 7.3 per cent in March.

TORONTO — The Stars Group Inc. says two influential proxy advisory firms have recommended that shareholders back its deal to be acquired by Flutter Entertainment. The company says Institutional Shareholder Services Inc. and Glass Lewis & Co.

TOKYO — Asian shares were mostly lower, gyrating in early Wednesday trading amid uncertainty over the coronavirus outbreak, which continues to claim more lives around the world. Japan's Nikkei 225 inched up 0.1% to 18,974.06 in morning trading.

New York City’s death toll from the coronavirus rose past 4,000 on Tuesday, eclipsing the number killed at the World Trade Center on 9-11 .