Copper sinks to five-week low on US growth fears

(Reuters) - Fresh signs of economic trouble in the United States beat copper down to five-week lows on Monday, but analysts expect strong demand from China to buoy the metal used widely in the construction and power industries.

London-listed miners were down on the back of broader market weakness. Britain's was down 0.2 percent while BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto and Xstrata were down between half a percent and 2.3 percent.


Read more at Reuters Africa

Alcoa, Alumina Advance on Takeover Speculation After Rio's Bid for Alcan

(Bloomberg) -- Shares of Alcoa Inc. and Alumina
Ltd., partners in the world's biggest alumina venture, rose to
records on speculation that Rio Tinto Group's $38.1 billion bid
for Alcan Inc. will spark more aluminum-industry takeovers.

BHP Billiton Ltd. might bid for New York-based Alcoa and
Alumina, UBS AG analysts Glyn Lawcock and Mark Busuttil said in
a report yesterday. Alcoa also may try to buy Melbourne-based
Alumina, which owns 40 percent of the Alcoa World Alumina &
Chemical joint venture, the analysts said.


Read more at Bloomberg Commodities News

Alcoa, Baker Hughes, Macrovision, RadioShack, VeriSign: U.S. Equity Movers

(Bloomberg) -- The following is a list of companies
whose shares are having unusual price changes in U.S. exchanges
today. Stock symbols are in parentheses after company names.
Share prices are as of 9:30 a.m. New York time.

Alcoa Inc. (AA US) rose $1.21, or 2.7 percent, to $46.50.
The world's second-biggest aluminum maker said yesterday it
withdrew its unsolicited takeover bid for aluminum producer Alcan
Inc. (AL US) after Rio Tinto Group (RIO AU) made a higher offer
of $38.1 billion. Separately, Credit Suisse Group increased its
share-price estimate for Alcoa by 22 percent to $55, saying that
takeover speculation would support the stock. Alcan shares fell
87 cents to $97.58.


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US shares set to open little changed, GE in focus

(Reuters) - U.S. stocks surged on Thursday, with the Dow hitting a
record on its biggest point gain since 2002 after healthy sales
from retailers reassured investors about consumer spending and
miner Rio Tinto's bid for Alcan raised the
prospect of more consolidation.




On Thursday, the S&P 500 gained 1.9 percent, the Dow Jones
put on 2.1 percent and the Nasdaq rose 1.9 percent.


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

Mexico stocks up, driven by global mining gains

(Reuters) - The IPC stock index closed 1.08 percent higher at
32,261.10 points, while the peso currency firmed
0.42 percent to 10.7745 per dollar.




Shares in Grupo Mexico , Mexico's largest
copper miner, jumped 4.30 percent to 77.78 pesos after
Anglo-Australian aluminum firm Rio Tinto
agreed to buy Canadian firm Alcan Inc. for $38.1
billion. The deal, which will create the world's largest
aluminum company, boosted mining equities worldwide.


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

Miners boost S.Africa stocks; outlook hits Angloplat

(Reuters) - South African shares muscled to a record high on Thursday as a stronger gold price and Rio Tinto's bid for Alcan powered mining stocks but Anglo Platinum sank on a disappointing trading update.

The Johannesburg Top-40 index of blue-chip stocks rose 0.54 percent to 27,028.86 points, a historic closing peak, while the All-share index gained 0.49 percent to 29,789.95 points, also a record.


Read more at Reuters Africa

Canadian Stocks Climb to Record on Rio Tinto's Bid for Alcan; Teck Gains

(Bloomberg) -- Canadian stocks rose, sending the
benchmark index to another record, after Rio Tinto offered to buy
aluminum maker Alcan Inc. for $38.1 billion, fueling takeover
speculation on other materials stocks.

A five-year rally in commodities that's lifted many metals
to records has spurred more than $106 billion of proposed takeovers
in the mining and metals industry so far this year, according to
Bloomberg data. Inmet Mining Corp. and Teck Cominco Ltd. gained
along with Alcan on the Toronto stock exchange today.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Asian Shares Rise, Led by BHP Billiton, Posco, on Metals Prices, Takeovers

(Bloomberg) -- Asian stocks climbed, led by BHP
Billiton Ltd., on higher commodity prices and speculation of
further takeovers in the metals industry.

Rio Tinto Group, the world's third-largest mining company,
rose to a record after the Times of London said it's set to bid
for Alcan Inc. South Korea's Posco paced a rally in steelmakers
after Chaparral Steel Co. agreed to be bought for $4.22 billion.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Australian Shares Climb to Record, Led by BHP Billiton on Higher Oil Price

(Bloomberg) -- Australian stocks rose, pushing the
S&P/ASX 200 Index to a record high. BHP Billiton Ltd. and Santos
Ltd. gained as oil prices traded near a 10-month high.

Rio Tinto Group advanced on a report it may bid for Alcan
Inc., while Zinifex Ltd. jumped on speculation of a combination
with Oxiana Ltd.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

European Stocks May Rise; BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto, Cadbury May Advance

(Bloomberg) -- European stocks may gain, led by BHP
Billiton Ltd. and Rio Tinto Group, after copper prices rose.

Cadbury Schweppes Plc will probably rally on a report that
India's Tata Group may be prepared to invest more than $2 billion
in a bid with Blackstone Group LP and Lion Capital LLP for a
stake in Cadbury's U.S. drinks unit.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

FTSE 100 Index Increases, Paced by Rio Tinto, BHP; Centrica Shares Climb

(Bloomberg) -- U.K. stocks gained after concerns
that official interest rates will keep rising waned and metal
prices rebounded.

Rio Tinto Group, the world's third-largest mining company,
and BHP Billiton Ltd. paced the advance after copper prices
increased in Asia.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Alcan Shares Rise on Possible Takeover Bids From Norsk Hydro, Rio Tinto

(Bloomberg) -- Shares of Alcan Inc. rose after
reports of possible takeover offers from Norsk Hydro ASA and Rio
Tinto Group raised expectations of a bidding war with Alcoa Inc.
for the Canadian aluminum producer.

Norsk Hydro, an Oslo-based energy and metals producer, is
preparing a bid valued at more than $30 billion for Alcan, the
Globe and Mail reported today, citing bankers close to both
companies who weren't named. Rio Tinto, the world's third-largest
miner, hired Deutsche Bank AG to advise it on a possible Alcan
bid, the Age newspaper reported, without citing anyone.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News