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Welcome to The Globe and Mail’s business and investing news quiz. Join us each week to test your knowledge of the stories making the headlines. Our business reporters come up with the questions, and you can show us what you know.

This week in business and investing: A prominent Toronto-based toy company just announced the biggest takeover in its history, worth US$950 million. Despite its growing portfolio, the company is still trading below prepandemic levels, but a recently-released movie might give their next reports a much-needed boost.

Meanwhile, Birkenstock’s IPO got off on the wrong foot, with its stock falling below its initial public offering price on Wednesday. And, Taylor Swift’s concert film is already making millions in presales, while shoe maker Crocs is teaming up with chocolatiers for a candy-themed clog just in time for Halloween.

Do you remember these stories? Take our quiz below to test your recall for the week ending Oct. 12.


1This is the stock market ticker for the new owners of toy company Melissa & Doug (hint: They’re responsible for Paw Patrol).
a. TOY–T
b. SPIN
c. GOLD
d. MAT

a. TOY–T. Spin Master’s acquisition of Melissa & Doug is the largest takeover in the company’s history, worth US$950-million.

2Statistics Canada will release inflation numbers for September on Oct. 17. According to the previous release, Canada’s consumer price index clocked in at ___ in August.
a. 2.4 per cent
b. 3.9 per cent
c. 4.0 per cent
d. 4.4 per cent

c. 4.0 per cent. Canada’s annual inflation rate accelerated to 4 per cent in August, up from 3.3 per cent in July and the highest level since April.

3Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour is opening in theatres in more than 100 countries, including Canada. In presales alone, the movie has earned:
a. US$13-million
b. US$100-million
c. US$120-million
d. US$189-million

b. US$100-million. The 169-minute movie follows Taylor Swift's sixth headlining concert tour (itself projected to gross $1-billion).

4In April, a thief stole $23-million in gold and cash from which Canadian airline?
a. Air Canada
b. Porter
c. WestJet
d. EconoFly Plus

a. Air Canada. The thief allegedly presented a phony document to the airliner’s warehouse at Pearson airport and walked out with the loot, according to a lawsuit filed against Air Canada by Brink’s Inc.

5Attention lactose-intolerant ice cream lovers: This U.S. brand announced it’s switching its non-dairy recipe to use an oat base by spring 2024.
a. SoyDelicious
b. Ben & Jerry’s
c. Ice Ice Baby
d. Nice Cream Inc.

b. Ben & Jerry’s. The company is a leader in the non-dairy ice cream market.

6Birkenstock’s IPO got off on the wrong foot. After its NYSE debut, BIRK fell how much?
a. 5 per cent
b. 40 per cent
c. 12 per cent
d. 35 per cent

c. 12 per cent. It was the 10th-worst launch for a company worth more than US$1 billion.

7The Bank of Montreal named this Wall Street veteran as the next CEO at investment banking division BMO Capital Markets.
a. Darryl White
b. David I. McKay
c. Alan Tannenbaum
d. Victor G. Dodig

c. Alan Tannenbaum. Currently the New York-based head of global investment and corporate banking, Mr. Tannenbaum will start in this role on Nov. 1.

8Claudia Goldin won the Nobel economics prize for her work studying what?
a. Workplace gender pay gap
b. Childcare spending by gender
c. Pay gap between parents and non-parents
d. Retirement income by gender

a. Workplace gender pay gap. Claudia Goldin, a Harvard University professor, was awarded the Nobel economics prize on Monday for research that helps explain why women around the world are less likely than men to work and to earn less money when they do. Ms. Goldin is just the third woman, and first solo award winner, to win the prize.

9Under the account Anointed Liquidator, this U.S. pastor ran a crime ring stealing and reselling items from Home Depot. According to reports, the total value for the shoplifted goods was:
a. US$4-million
b. US$3.1-million
c. US$31-million
d. US$1.4-million

d. US$1.4-million. Authorities say the crime ring stole more than US$1.4 million in merchandise from Home Depot and resold it on eBay.

10Great news for fans of comfortable, yet ugly, footwear: Crocs is teaming up with these companies for a chocolate-themed clog (just in time for Halloween).
a. Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and KitKat
b. Hershey’s and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
c. Hershey’s and Mr. Big
d. Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and Crispy Crunch

b. Hershey’s and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. The clog maker debuted its limited edition candy bar shoe last month.

11Unifor and GM reached a tentative agreement this week on a new contract. That deal includes wage increases of between ___ and ___ per cent over three years for workers.
a. 3 and 5 per cent
b. 10 and 15 per cent
c. 20 and 25 per cent
d. 40 and 50 per cent

c. 20 and 25 per cent. The deal includes wage increases for production workers of almost 20 per cent over three years, and 25 per cent for skilled tradespeople.

How well did you do?

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