National Business

WASHINGTON — The U.S. services sector, where most Americans work, grew for a fourth consecutive month in September as the country attempts to re-open from earlier COVID-19 shutdowns.

CALGARY — Texas-based suitor Wilks Brothers, LLC, is sweetening its hostile takeover offer for Calgary-based Calfrac Well Services Ltd. by raising its bid to 25 cents per share from 18 cents. The bid carries a maximum cash payout of $21.

OTTAWA — As payment deferrals offered during the height of the pandemic come to an end and many Canadians remain out of work or underemployed, experts say if you think you need financial help, the sooner you seek it the better.

MONTREAL — Heroux-Devtek Inc. says it has won a multi-year contract with the Boeing Company to manufacture new actuation components for several types of commercial aircraft.

ATHENS, Greece — Microsoft has announced plans to build three data centre sites in greater Athens, providing a badly needed investment of up to $1 billion to the Greek economy which has been hammered by the pandemic.

PARIS — Kenzo Takada, the iconic French-Japanese fashion designer famed for his jungle-infused designs and free-spirited esthetic that channeled global travel, has died. He was 81.

PARIS — Storied maison Givenchy unveiled new designer Matthew Williams’ debut collection Sunday, although the brand may have hoped such a big new beginning would have come under better days and not under the virus-hit Paris Fashion Week.

LONDON — Cinema chain Cineworld said Sunday it is considering closing all its movie theatres in Britain and the United States, after the postponement of the new James Bond film left a big hole in schedules.

ROME — Pope Francis says the coronavirus pandemic has proven that the “magic theories” of market capitalism have failed and that the world needs a new type of politics that promotes dialogue and solidarity and rejects war at all costs.

PARIS — Hermes headlined Saturday’s installment of Paris Fashion Week with a cinematic, surrealist runway staging, but the lack of celebrities attending and the patchy drizzle put a slight dampener on the usually high-octane events.