On Friday, February 4, U.S. President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced a new joint effort to streamline cross-border trade they state will help both country's economies and enhance security.  

Passenger vehicle sales were stronger than expected last month, advancing three percent year over year to an annualized 1.61 million units — only slightly below October’s strong performance. Imported brands led the way, according to the numbers from Scotia Capital, posting a double-digit gain, as sales at Japanese automakers jumped 10 percent year over year and set a record for the month of November.