TAKE A LOOK-BHP Billiton bids for Rio Tinto
China is planning to buy a more than 9 percent stake in BHP Billiton Ltd/Plc (BHP.AX: Quote, Profile, Research) (BLT.L: Quote, Profile, Research) as part of a plan to interfere in the miner's attempted takeover of rival Rio Tinto Ltd/Plc (RIO.AX: Quote, Profile, Research) (RIO.L: Quote, Profile, Research), The Australian newspaper reports. BHP denies knowledge of any such move, while Australia's government vows strict scrutiny should it happen.
Rio Tinto reports a mixed first quarter production report, with a 23 percent fall in refined copper output, but a 386 percent rise in aluminium output and a surge in iron ore production.
Double click on the codes in square brackets to see Reuters' coverage of BHP Billiton's $135 billion bid for Rio Tinto. ---------------------------------------------------------------- ----------- LATEST STORIES > Rio output mixed; China growth, bid talk lift shares [ID:nSYD21165] > Australia to scrutinise any China move on BHP [ID:nSYD72728] > China planning to buy stake in BHP Billiton-report [ID:nSYD7386] > Rio Tinto sees lower 2008 copper output
[ID:nN10354011] ---------------------------------------------------------------- ----------- ANALYSIS/BACKGROUND > Rio Tinto says doesn't need BHP to find value [ID:nN07225611] > Rio CEO points to BHP undervaluing growth [ID:nHKG93125] > BHP calls on Rio to prove takeover bid too low [ID:nL27716752] > Rio Tinto CEO says BHP rejection on value only [ID:nSYD78897] > BHP to face growing pressure to raise Rio offer anew [ID:nL19246082] > Chinalco more likely to raise Rio stake than cut it [ID:nHKG314118] > Rio CEO says Chinalco stake bolsters BHP rejection [ID:nN05634643] > China steel mills too slow to take Rio stake-executive [ID:nPEK214274] > RLPC-BHP Billiton talks to lenders on record $55 bln loan [ID:nL03840577] > Rio sees China metals demand offsetting weak U.S. [ID:nN03399529] > Rio Tinto H2 underlying profit rises 9 pct [ID:nSYD170151] > Rio Tinto says may work together with Chinalco [ID:nL13113497] > Commodities may hit more record peaks-Rio Tinto [ID:nL13542981] > BHP may have to sweeten again to budge Rio - analysts [ID:nSYD277450] > BHP raises Rio bid; no immediate Chinese riposte [ID:nSYD136350] > Chinalco in no rush to leap into Rio counterbid [ID:nHKG213891] > Rio shareholders underwhelmed by firmer BHP offer [ID:nL06293363] > BHP-Rio deal could put some Alcan assets in play [ID:nN06265276] > China denies legal challenge to BHP bid for Rio [ID:nPEK217675] > Alcoa's Rio stake has Wall St in search of motive [ID:nN01598647] > Rio strike shows China's mettle at last [ID:nHKG153753] > BHP set to slim down mega-firm if Rio swallowed [ID:nL14660164] > BHP-Rio deal to face tough competition law hurdle [ID:nL22478711] > BHP to keep oil, gas business despite Rio bid-analysts [ID:nSYD146407] NEWSMAKERS > Rio Tinto's chief waits for richer BHP offer
[ID:nSYD297293] > New, no-nonsense BHP boss has Rio Tinto in his sights [ID:nSP85882] > Chinalco chief, in second wind, hits bullseye [ID:nPEK84655] FACTBOXES > Chronology of BHP Billiton bid for Rio Tinto
[ID:nB445645] > Rankings of major mining groups
[ID:nB441102] > World's 10 largest M&A deals
[ID:nSYD188269] > How BHP and Rio compare in metals output [ID:nL01456311] > Recent major base metals mergers [ID:nL08630777] > Chinalco, maker of a tenth of the world's aluminium [ID:nHKG185059] > Chinese companies expand mining overseas [ID:nT156255] ---------------------------------------------------------------- ----------- Reuters 3000Xtra subscribers can access Metals Production Database by clicking on URL below. mpd.session.rservices.com For related news and prices, click on the codes in brackets: LME price overview <RING=> LME aluminium <0#MAL:> LME copper <0#MCU:> Asia physicals <BASE/ASIA1> COMEX copper futures <0#HG:> Europe physicals <BASE/EU> TOCOM aluminium <0#JAL:> Shanghai copper <0#SCF:> Shanghai aluminium <0#SAF:> Scrap metal prices BASEU3 Base/minor metals news [MET] All metals news [MTL] Metals summary [GLANCE/MTL] Scrap metals news [SCRAP/EUR] Index of summaries [GLANCE/] All commodities news [C] Metals diary [MTL/DIARY] Weather news [WEA] Foreign exchange rates <FX=S> For more Australian news...............[AUF] For more on metals and mining..........[MTL] For more on mergers and acquisitions...[MRG] SPEED GUIDES COMMODS METAL1 <BASE/FUT1> <BASE/CASH1> <BASE/OPT1> <LME/OPT1> <LME/FUT1> <LME/BROKER1> <LME/INFO1> REUTERS ---------------------------------------------------------------- ----------- ((Sydney Newsroom, 612-9373-1826 fax 612-9262-4727, jonathan.standing@reuters.com))
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