Here are the top reads on deals and financial services over the last 24 hours,
FINANCIAL SERVICES NEWS
Strong housing market, lower funding costs fuel Home Capital’s resurgence: Home Capital Group Inc.'s comeback went into high gear as a rebounding housing market and lower funding costs sent its earnings soaring just two years after the company plunged into financial crisis. Story (David Berman)
Manulife and TTC settle Healthy Fit benefits-fraud case: Canadian insurer Manulife Financial Corp. has reached a deal with the Toronto Transit Commission to settle a long-running case involving a multimillion-dollar benefits scam that involved more than 200 TTC employees. Story (Clare O’Hara)
Bank of Canada proposes liquidity facility to provide loans to financial institutions suffering through temporary shocks: The Bank of Canada is proposing a new liquidity facility that would provide loans to financial institutions that are suffering temporary shocks as a result of incidents such as cyberattacks, system failures and natural disasters. Story (Alexandra Posadzki)
Google to offer chequing accounts for consumers next year: Alphabet Inc’s Google said on Wednesday it will offer personal checking accounts next year through its Google Pay app, initially in partnership with Citigroup Inc and a small credit union at Stanford University. Story (Reuters)
DEALS NEWS: MERGERS, ACQUISITIONS, IPOs and FINANCINGS
Triple Flag looking to raise $350-million in Canadian mining IPO: Royalty and streaming company Triple Flag Precious Metals Corp. is looking to raise around $350-million in what would be the biggest mining initial public offering in Canada in more than two years, according to sources. Story (Niall McGee)
Quebec invests $30-million in France blimp maker Flying Whales in bid for local plant eventually: Quebec thinks there’s money in blimps. The province is spending $30-million to back budding French blimp maker Flying Whales, gambling the deal will give it a toehold in an industry finally poised for commercial acceptance. Story (Nicolas Van Praet)
Alibaba launches $13.4-billion Hong Kong listing to fund expansion: Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. launched the share sale for its Hong Kong listing on Wednesday, braving unrest in the global financial hub to try to raise up to US$13.4-billion to fund its expansion plans. Story (Reuters)
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