Despite higher operating revenue compared to the same quarter last year and more new activations for its broadband services than ever, BCE’s net earnings declined from $813 million to $771 million. (The Logic)

Talking point: Although it boasted about adding 401,132 new broadband customers, more than half being new mobile-phone accounts, the telecom giant attributed the slip in earnings to increases in fuel, utilities and salary expenses, some extra costs in cleaning up after Hurricane Fiona and financial-market effects like changes in the value of derivatives it holds. Revenue from advertising—often an expense companies cut back early in difficult times—was also down 2.3 per cent in its media division, which BCE blamed on “the current macroeconomic backdrop.”