HEADLINES
Unemployment Rate Drops to 6.5% in November With Surge in Hiring
Canada's jobless rate fell sharply in November as hiring for a third month running blew past expectations, defying worries there would be widespread layoffs in response to the U.S. tariffs that have dented the economy.
The national unemployment rate fell 0.4 percentage point to 6.5%, the lowest level in 16 months, after unexpectedly dipping to 6.9% the month before, Statistics Canada said Friday. Economists expected a dip in employment last month to nudge up the jobless rate to 7%.
Employers in the country added 53,600 jobs in November, taking gains over the last three months to 180,600. That more than recovered the roughly 100,000 jobs lost over the summer and marks a shift after almost no change in net employment between January and August, when business sentiment hit record lows amid the uncertainty that has dogged the shift in U.S. trade policy.
Jobless Rate Can Fall More Before Labor Slack Disappears Youth Unemployment Rate Cools Jobs Numbers May Support Rates Hikes Next Year
Orla Mining Investor Sells C$441.1 Million Shares as Part of Portfolio Rebalance
Orla Mining investor Fairfax Financial Holdings sold C$441.1 million worth of its shares.
Shares fell 11.1% to settle at C$17.10.
Fairfax Financial, through its subsidiaries, sold 25 million common shares in the Canadian miner at a price of C$17.6435 apiece.
The sale was part of a portfolio investment rebalancing.
AtkinsRealis Appointed to Multi-Year Nuclear Partnership With Rolls-Royce Submarines
AtkinsRealis Group has secured a contract to supply nuclear propulsion and engineering capabilities to Rolls-Royce Submarines.
The Canadian engineering and project management company on Friday said that AtkinsRealis will work alongside Frazer-Nash and Assystem. Together they will provide Rolls-Royce Submarines with the collective engineering expertise, nuclear capabilities, and other professional services required to meet growing demand from the U.K. Ministry of Defence and allied nations.
The framework has a total value of up to 400 million British pounds ($533.1 million) over five years, with the option to extend it for another two years.
AtkinsRealis Seen as Catalyst-Rich
Laurentian Bank of Canada Profit, Revenue Fall
Laurentian Bank of Canada reported lower profit and revenue in its fourth quarter.
For the three months ended Oct. 31, the Canadian bank posted a lower net income of C$31.5 million, or C$0.66 a share, down from C$40.7 million, or C$0.88 a share, in the comparable quarter a year ago.
Adjusted earnings were C$0.73 a share. According to FactSet, analysts were expecting C$0.78 a share.
Total revenue fell 1% to C$244.7 million. Analysts expected a rise to C$248.7 million.
Common equity tier 1 ratio, which is capital that banks hold to protect themselves against financial losses, was 11.3%, up from 10.9%.
Canada to Buy $2.68 Billion in Air-Strike Weapons From Boeing, RTX
Canada has agreed to purchase air-strike weaponry from Boeing and RTX as the U.S.'s northern neighbor ramps up military spending.
The U.S. Defense Department said the transaction, with a $2.68 billion price tag, would improve Canada's defense capability and strengthen its ability to contribute to continental security.
One of Prime Minister Mark Carney's initial moves upon winning power this year was to accelerate Canada's defense spending, which failed to meet requirements outlined by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and triggered widespread criticism from senior U.S. lawmakers and officials.
West Fraser Timber to Idle OSB Mill in Alberta
West Fraser Timber said it was indefinitely curtailing its oriented strand board mill in High Level, Alberta, in the spring of next year.
The company said it expects to record an asset impairment loss of approximately $200 million in the fourth quarter in connection with the curtailment.
The company also said it would offer the approximately 190 affected employees opportunities at other company operations, where available.
TALKING POINT
Canadian Company's Armoured-Vehicle Production for ICE Taking Place in U.S.
By Steven Chase for the Globe and Mail
The Canadian company building armoured vehicles for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is doing so in the United States -- which likely places the products out of the reach of Canada's Foreign Affairs Minister.
Human-rights advocates are expressing concern over the prospect of the company equipping an American agency known for its aggressive enforcement tactics under the Trump administration's mass-deportation campaign. NDP MP Jenny Kwan had said that Canada should block the sale of these vehicles.
U.S. government procurement records show that Washington has ordered nearly $10-million in armoured vehicles from defence contractor Roshel, based in Brampton, Ont. They are earmarked for ICE, according to the Federal Procurement Data System, and the purchase was approved by the U.S. government Nov. 28.
Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand, asked about the contract earlier this week, said little except that she had not received any questions or requests regarding the transaction. The Foreign Affairs Minister is the minister responsible in Canada for regulating arms exports.
Roman Shimonov, the CEO of Roshel, has declined to discuss the contract.
But he told The Globe and Mail Thursday, in response to a question, that products destined for the U.S. market are built in the U.S. and that vehicles in the ICE order were assembled there as well.
Mr. Shimonov would not discuss the matter further but Roshel in late 2024 publicly announced that it opened its first U.S.-based production facility in Shelby Township, Mich.
"Our Michigan facility mirrors the advanced capabilities of our Canadian operations," Roshel said in a statement last year. It integrates key manufacturing processes -- including design, development, metal fabrication, welding, painting, mechanical assembly, and electrical assembly -- all under one roof."
Ottawa does not release public statistics on the export of military equipment or weapons to the United States, nor does it require export permits for the vast majority of defence gear sold to U.S. buyers. That's because of the traditionally close relationship between both countries as well as the integrated nature of significant parts of the Canadian and U.S. defence industries.
While Canada has traditionally not scrutinized most arms sales to the United States, the Foreign Affairs Minister has the ability to block exports. In 2024, then-Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly blocked U.S.-bound exports of ammunition. The ordnance, manufactured in Quebec, was being sold to the U.S. government for onward export to Israel.
Ottawa, however, has little say over a Canadian company's defence production in the United States for U.S. customers.
The ICE contract is for Senator Emergency Response Tactical Vehicles. These machines provide armoured protection from rifles, grenade attacks or mines and have bullet-resistant glass.
Expected Major Events for Monday
00:01/UK: Nov KPMG and REC UK Report on Jobs
04:30/JPN: Nov Corporate Insolvencies
05:00/JPN: Nov Economy Watchers Survey
07:00/GER: Oct Industrial Production Index
11:00/FRA: Oct OECD CPI
13:30/US: U.S. Weekly Export Sales
23:50/JPN: Nov Money Stock, Broadly-defined Liquidity
All times in GMT. Powered by Onclusive and Dow Jones.
Expected Earnings for Monday
ALT5 Sigma Corp $(ALTS)$ is expected to report $-0.36 for 3Q.
B Riley Financial Inc $(RILY)$ is expected to report for 2Q.
Barnes & Noble Education Inc $(BNED)$ is expected to report for 2Q.
Broadway Financial Corp $(BYFC)$ is expected to report for 3Q.
Compass Minerals International Inc $(CMP)$ is expected to report $1.87 for 4Q.
Mama's Creations Inc $(MAMA)$ is expected to report $-0.03 for 3Q.
Oil-Dri Corp of America $(ODC)$ is expected to report for 1Q.
Ooma Inc (OOMA) is expected to report $0.04 for 3Q.
Phreesia Inc $(PHR)$ is expected to report $0.00 for 3Q.
Star Group LP (SGU) is expected to report for 4Q.
Toll Brothers Inc $(TOL)$ is expected to report $4.88 for 4Q.
Virco Manufacturing Corp $(VIRC)$ is expected to report for 3Q.
Yext Inc $(YEXT)$ is expected to report $0.02 for 3Q.
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This article is a text version of a Wall Street Journal newsletter published earlier today.
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
December 05, 2025 16:34 ET (21:34 GMT)
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