National Business

The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits jumped to its highest level in more than eight months last week, another indication that the red hot U.S. labor market may be softening.

LONDON (AP) — The Bank of England maintained its key U.K. interest rate at a 16-year high of 5.25% though it gave a broad hint that a reduction could be on the cards imminently as inflation falls towards its target.

TORONTO — A book about the legal implications of developing outer space has won the $60,000 Donner Prize.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A former top executive for major Las Vegas casinos was sentenced to a year of probation Wednesday after admitting he allowed an illegal bookmaker to gamble millions of dollars at the MGM Grand and pay off debts in cash.

LONDON (AP) — Thousands of ride-or-die Taylor Swift fans who missed out on her U.S. concert tour last year or didn't want to buy exorbitantly priced tickets to see her again found an out-of-the-way solution: Fly to Europe.

MONTREAL — Power Corp. of Canada says its net earnings for the first quarter were $709 million, up from $313 million a year earlier. The Montreal-based management and holding company says net earnings per share were $1.

TORONTO — Manulife Financial Corp. says first quarter earnings were down from last year because of the effects of a major reinsurance deal.

SASKATOON — Nutrien Ltd. says it earned US$165 million in its first quarter, down 71 per cent from US$576 million a year earlier. The Saskatoon-based company says its sales totalled US$5.4 billion, down 12 per cent from US$6.

CHANNEL-PORT AUX BASQUES, N.L.

MONTREAL — WSP Global Inc. says it earned $126.8 million in the first quarter, up from $112.5 million a year earlier. The Montreal-based engineering company says revenues for the quarter were $3.6 billion, up from $3.