Toronto mayor Rob Ford lived up his reputation for surprises when he got stuck in a hotel elevator for nearly an hour while a room full of the city’s business elite waited impatiently for him to deliver a speech.

Economic optimism is now official.

THE dollar posted its biggest weekly gain against the euro since November, and rose versus the yen, on renewed speculation the Federal Reserve will boost interest rates twice more this year.

Wall Street’s four-day rally paused today with the major indexes finishing mixed as optimism over a potential end to the Federal Reserve’s string of interest rates clashed with investors’ desire to take profits after the run higher.

The US Federal Reserve chairman has warned of "considerable uncertainties" in the States' economic outlook, saying the current period of slow growth has not ended.