Japan economy shudders after shocks, BOJ pumps cash

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's central bank on Monday rushed to bolster markets in the wake of the country's worst disaster since World War Two and although the authorities said it was too early to put a figure on the damage, critics said a stronger initial response had been needed.
Markets swooned at the shock of an 8.9 magnitude earthquake and

Canada Q4 industrial capacity use disappoints

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada's fourth-quarter industrial capacity use came in at an unexpectedly low 76.4 percent on Monday, adding to a series of soft data that has taken pressure off the Bank of Canada to raise interest rates.
Another indicator closely watched by the central bank, the ratio of household credit market debt to personal disposable income, fell to 146.75 percent from a downwardly

TSX extends fall as fears mount over Japan

TORONTO (Reuters) - Toronto's main stock index extended losses sharply on Monday morning, as worries about the impact of Japan's devastating earthquake and tsunami mounted.
The Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index .GSPTSE was down 157.29 points, or

Teck cuts coal sales forecast; shares fall

TORONTO (Reuters) - Teck Resources (TCKb.TO: Quote) trimmed its first-quarter coal sales forecast on Monday, citing rail traffic disruptions and adverse weather, sending shares down 4 percent in early trade in New York.
The diversified Canadian miner said it now expects coal sales of 4.6 million to 4.9 million tonnes for

Ontario Teachers Pension Plan shops Leafs, Raptors

TORONTO (Reuters) - The Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan (OTTP), one of Canada's largest, is shopping around its 66 percent stake in Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, the owner of the Toronto Maple Leafs hockey team and the Toronto Raptors basketball team.
"The Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan today stated that it will explore the possibility of selling its 66 percent majority share of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment and will

Quake selloff wipes $287 billion off Tokyo stock market

TOKYO (Reuters) - A massive selloff on the Tokyo Stock Exchange wiped out some 23.5 trillion yen ($287 billion) from the market's value on Monday with investors dumping stocks as the country recoiled from a devastating earthquake and struggled to avert nuclear disaster.
The selloff triggered record volumes and slashed the market's value