TORONTO -- Five things to watch for in the Canadian business world in the coming week:

Empire results

Empire Company Ltd. will release its third-quarter fiscal 2021 results on Wednesday. Rival George Weston reported last week that its fourth-quarter profit fell compared with a year ago as it was hit by one-time charges.

Linamar update

Linamar will hold a webcast Wednesday to discuss its Q4 results. The Guelph, Ont.-based manufacturer said last month that it expected the semiconductor shortage currently plaguing the auto industry to dampen vehicle production among its customers, although the result would not be material to Linamar's business.

Interest rate announcement

Bank of Canada is set to make its latest interest rate decision on Wednesday. The central bank announced in January that it would keep its interest rate target on hold at 0.25 per cent, citing the economic conditions and ongoing uncertainty from the pandemic as reasons for its decision.'

Transat earnings

Transat A.T. releases its first-quarter results and holds a conference call on Thursday. Air Canada's proposed acquisition of Transat is up in the air after Canada's largest airline said it will not allow more time for the deal to go through.

February jobs numbers

Statistics Canada is set to release its labour force survey for February on Friday. The agency reported last month that Canada's labour market saw months of gains wiped out in a matter of weeks as widespread lockdowns and school closures erased 212,800 jobs in January, hitting mothers and youth particularly hard.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 7, 2021.