Business News

It was officially revealed today that Rudd government has officially prohibited any move by China's state owned Sinosteel to acquire stakes in Murchison Metal. The Foreign Investment Review Board would delay its decision for 90 days about Chinese take over bid on West Australia's mining company. Rudd government is planning for new regime that would limit foreign stakes in Australian companies or their take over.

The British Gas giant, BG Group, is back with its offer bid price of $15.50 a share for a hostile takeover of Origin Energy (ORG). Its offer had been earlier rejected its offer stating that the sale price has to be "a lot more" that $15.50 a share price. This time the BG has offered the price directly to its shareholders. It had earlier offered a price of $14.70 a-share price but had revised it by 48 percent to $15.50.

What can be termed as one of the biggest achievements, Rio Tinto has bagged a record 86 percent hike in iron ore contract prices. The hike includes freight premium with China's biggest steel maker, Boasteel. Shipping iron ore from China is cheaper than from Brazil. This has led to higher iron ore contract price between Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton against Rio de Janeiro based Vale.

Anglo Swiss Global miner Xstrata has decided to match the rival bid for Australian listed Indophil Resources Limited. It has currently placed its bid for $1 per share as the take over bid for INdophil Resources. The Crosby consortium led by Hong Kong bank currently leads the take over proposal with its $1.28 per share bid. Xstrata had announced on Friday that it shall not lift its bid of $1.00 per share but now seems to have quickly changed its mind and decided to match the $488 million take over bid for the giant underdeveloped copper mine in Philippines.

Transurban (TCL) Chief, Chris Lynch has introduced a new cost reduction programs and reinvented new means to finance its debts and increase the cash flows. According to Lynch, the 2009 distribution costs would be funded on the basis of cash flows only. The payout would not be funded by debt accumulation at the cost of company assets.

Cazaly Resources share prices soared at the Australian stock exchange after its announcement to team up with Fortescue Metals to mine the iron in Pilbara region in Western Australia. It has obtained the documents for renewal process of the land by Rio Tinto under the Freedom of Information Act. It now claims that there are several defects in the renewal process that leaves the land open for rights to occupancy. However, Rio Tinto has strongly objected to any such allegations.

Australia's second largest investment bank, Babcock and Brown has witnessed a free fall at the stock market. Investors have accelerated their selling speed after the share prices have witnessed a landslide of as much as 32 percent. The stocks have lost $7 billion in value out of which half of the loss comes from this week.

Foster's Group (FGL) Chief Executive Trevor O’Hoy tendered his resignation today taking the responsibility as Chief Executive and stepped down to the let the new management team take over the reigns. He resigned at the emergency board meeting convened on Monday to review the deterioration of the US wine business which has coincided with the decline in market share for Australian wines.

Chinese steelmaking giant Sinosteel Corporation is finally edging nearer to takeover management of control of Midwest Corporation (MIS). Sinosteel has made significant changes in a notice to its shareholders stating that it now has voting stake of 33.82 percent in Midwest Corporation which means it owns nearly one-third voting power in Midwest. It raised its stake in Midwest to 28.37 percent which is about 20 percent higher than its previous bid.

Babcock & Brown Power (BBP) has managed to refinance its A$2.7 billion of project finance debt. BBP Chief Executive, Paul Simshauser stated that the company further expects to arrange another A$360 million to finalise the corporate debt facility of BBP Holdings by August 31, 2008.