U.S. consumers bought more cars, clothes and appliances in February, pushing retail sales up to a record $407.8 billion for the month.

Home appliance-maker Mabe Canada is slashing 700 jobs in Montreal, blaming the high-flying loonie for its woes.

Smart vehicles, home security systems and web-connected appliances are becoming part of what's known as the "Internet of Things," a growing network of objects creating and changing data without people directly involved.