Resources lead S.African stock market firmer

(Reuters) - Resource shares continued to lead South African shares to higher ground on Tuesday, with heavyweight miners Anglo American and rival BHP Billiton leading the march.

"We have seen gold and copper prices up quite significantly on the back of improved global markets, which are more than anything driving our markets rather than what is happening locally," Gryphon Asset Management Chief Investment Officer, Abri du Plessis said.


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Copper bounces as spotlight falls on tight supplies

(Reuters) - Copper prices bounced on Monday as the spotlight switched to tight supplies and equities firmed, but fears about economic and demand growth could return to spook the market.

Recovering confidence in metals and equity markets helped London-listed miners such as Rio Tinto, BHP Billiton, Xstrata, Anglo American to rise between 0.6 and 2.3 percent.


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Asian Stocks Rise in U.S. Trading; PetroChina, BHP Shares Climb on Oil

(Bloomberg) -- Asian stocks trading in the U.S. gained
for the first day this week as rising oil prices lifted energy
shares including PetroChina Co. and the Australian reported BHP
Billiton isn't interested in buying Alcoa Inc.

The Bank of New York Co.'s Asia ADR Index, tracking the
region's American depositary receipts, added 1 percent to 172.55,
snapping a three-day, 2.1 percent gain.


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U.K. FTSE 100 Index Climbs; Vodafone, BHP, Rio Tinto Pace the Advance

(Bloomberg) -- U.K. stocks rose for the first time
in four days, paced by Vodafone Group Plc after the world's
largest mobile-phone company said the number of subscribers
increased by 4.1 percent in the fiscal first quarter.

BHP Billiton Ltd. and Rio Tinto Group led shares of mining
companies higher.


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Asian Stocks Rise the Most in Three Months on Takeovers; Posco, BHP Climb

(Bloomberg) -- Asian stocks rose the most in three
months, spurred by Rio Tinto Group's $38 billion bid for Alcan
Inc. and higher sales at U.S. retailers.

Posco surged by the most in four years and BHP Billiton Ltd.
climbed following Rio's offer. Samsung Electronics Co. jumped
after reporting better-than-expected earnings and a newspaper
said billionaire investor Carl Icahn may be planning a hostile
bid. South Korea's Kospi index, the region's best performer in
the past three months, advanced 2.8 percent to a new high.


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Australia's S&P/ASX 200 Rises, Led by BHP, Rio on Metals Rally; Banks Drop

(Bloomberg) -- Australian stocks rose, rebounding
from two-days of losses. BHP Billiton Ltd. and Rio Tinto Group led
mining shares higher after metals such as copper and zinc gained,
and on a report Rio is poised to bid for Alcan Inc.

``I would bet both BHP and Rio are running the numbers over
Alcan, and maybe other companies, with a view to making a bid,''
said Richard Wallace, who helps manage $138 million at Wallace
Funds Management in Sydney. ``As an investor you don't want to
stand in the way of a train, so you'll see plenty of buying of the
shares ahead of a potential announcement.''


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Asian Stocks Rise in U.S. Trading; BHP Billiton Advances on Metal Prices

(Bloomberg) -- Asian stocks rose in U.S. trading as
mining shares including BHP Billiton followed copper and other
metal prices higher.

The Bank of New York Co.'s Asia ADR Index, tracking the
region's American depositary receipts, added 0.8 percent to
173.07, the seventh gain in eight sessions.


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European Stocks Gain, Led by Energy, Mining Shares; BP, BHP, Nestle Climb

(Bloomberg) -- European stocks rose for the first time
in six days as higher commodity prices lifted energy and mining
companies and Citigroup Inc. said shares in the region are cheap.

BP Plc, Europe's second-biggest oil producer, and BHP
Billiton Ltd., the world's largest mining company, advanced.
Nestle SA increased after Deutsche Bank AG recommended buying
stock in the food company. Groupe Danone rose on a report the
yogurt maker will likely sell its LU cookies division.


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European Stocks Drop for Fifth Day; Total, BHP, Northern Rock Pace Decline

(Bloomberg) -- European stocks fell for a fifth day,
paced by energy and basic-resources shares as crude oil traded
near a nine-day low and metals prices dropped.

Total SA, the region's largest refiner, and BHP Billiton
Ltd., the world's biggest mining company, declined. Northern Rock
Plc tumbled after the U.K.'s seventh-largest bank said it expects
2007 profit growth to miss analysts' estimates as interest rates
rose more than expected.


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U.K.'s FTSE 100 Index Drops for Fifth Day; National Grid, BHP Pace Retreat

(Bloomberg) -- U.K. stocks dropped, sending the
benchmark FTSE 100 Index lower for a fifth consecutive day.
National Grid Plc paced the retreat after Goldman, Sachs & Co.
recommended selling shares in the natural-gas pipeline operator.

BHP Billiton Ltd. led mining companies lower as copper
prices declined in Asia. Pearson Plc, Kingfisher Plc and Unilever
led advancing shares.


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U.K.'s FTSE 100 Index Climbs, Led by Vedanta, BHP; British Airways Rises

(Bloomberg) -- U.K. stocks climbed, led by Vedanta
Resources Plc and BHP Billiton Ltd. after copper prices rallied
in London on concern strikes will disrupt production.

British Airways Plc rose after Standard & Poor's lifted its
credit rating for the airline. Man Group Plc climbed after
posting an increase in assets for its AHL fund.


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BHP eyeing Alcan, sources say

(Reuters) - The emergence of BHP as a possible white knight in the face of Alcoa Inc.'s $28.7 billion hostile offer for Alcan came as Alcoa's stock hit a six-year high on a report that the U.S. aluminum company, and not its Canadian rival Alcan, was a target of BHP. Alcoa stock eased to close less than 1 percent higher.




The sources told Reuters that BHP, which trades in Australia and London, has hired Merrill Lynch & Co. to explore the possibility of buying Alcan, but stressed that such a move is not definite.


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U.S. Stock-Index Futures Gain on Acquisitions; Alcoa, Gilead Shares Rise

(Bloomberg) -- U.S. stock-index futures rose after a
report that BHP Billiton Ltd., the world's largest mining
company, may bid for Alcoa Inc., the No. 1 aluminum maker.

Shares of Alcoa jumped in Europe after the London-based
Times said BHP may consider a $40 billion takeover. Chicago Board
of Trade gained after shareholders of the second-largest futures
market were told they may get better offers from two suitors.


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Shares in Eland Platinum Plunge on Report That Takeover Bids Were Dropped

(Bloomberg) -- Shares of Eland Platinum Holdings
Ltd., South Africa's best performing stock over the last year,
fell as much as 26 percent after a report that potential bidders
may have decided against making a takeover offer.

Xstrata Plc and BHP Billiton Ltd. were both willing to
offer around 70 rand ($9.70) for Eland, Johannesburg-based Web
site Moneyweb said, citing people familiar with the situation.
Eland rose to a record 124.90 rand on June 4, almost two months
after saying it was in talks that may affect its shares.


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European Stocks Advance, Led by Axa, Financial Shares; BHP, Centrica Gain

(Bloomberg) -- European stocks rose for the first time
in six days as investors bet last week's rout was overdone and
renewed takeover speculation lifted mining and power companies.

BNP Paribas, Axa SA and Barclays Plc paced an advance by
financial-related companies, among the hardest hit in the sell-
off. BHP Billiton Ltd. led mining companies higher after UBS AG
raised its price estimate for the stock and said mergers and
acquisitions in the industry ``will continue to accelerate.''
Centrica Plc, the U.K.'s largest energy supplier, climbed after
OAO Gazprom said it will announce an acquisition in Britain.


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European Stocks Rise, Led by Vodafone; Standard Life, BHP Billiton Gain

(Bloomberg) -- European stocks advanced on takeover
speculation in the telecommunications industry and as brokerages
advised investors to buy insurers and mining companies.

Vodafone Group Plc climbed after the Wall Street Journal
said the mobile-phone company could be worth more split into
parts, fueling speculation it may be taken over. Standard Life
Plc and Old Mutual Plc gained after Merrill Lynch raised its
recommendation on both shares. Mining stocks rose after Xstrata
Plc said it's prepared to make an acquisition and Citigroup Inc.
raised its recommendation on BHP Billiton's shares.


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Asian Equities Rise to Third Straight Record on U.S. Growth; Toyota Gains

(Bloomberg) -- Asian stocks rose to a third straight
record after reports showed employment and manufacturing growth in
the U.S. expanded more than expected and metals prices gained.

Toyota Motor Corp., which overtook General Motors Corp. as
the world's biggest automaker by market value, climbed to a 10-
week high on speculation demand in the region's largest export
market will be sustained. BHP Billiton Ltd., the No. 1 mining
company, climbed for a third day.


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U.K. FTSE 100 Index Advances, Led by Johnson Matthey, HBOS, BHP Billiton

(Bloomberg) -- U.K. stocks advanced, led by
Johnson Matthey Plc and HBOS Plc on broker recommendations.

BHP Billiton paced a rise in share of mining
companies. The world's largest mining company promoted
Marius Kloppers to chief executive officer, succeeding
Charles ``Chip'' Goodyear.


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European Stocks Climb to 6 1/2-Year High; Nokia, BHP, E.ON Pace the Gains

(Bloomberg) -- European stocks rallied, sending the
Dow Jones Stoxx 600 Index to the highest since September 2000,
after E.ON AG said it will buy back $9.4 billion in shares and
Belgian billionaire Albert Frere bought a stake in Iberdrola SA.

E.ON and Iberdrola led utility shares to an all-time high.
Scottish & Southern Energy Plc rose after earnings beat analysts'
estimates. ASML Holding NV climbed the most in six weeks on plans
to pay cash to shareholders. BHP Billiton Ltd. paced a rebound in
mining stocks as copper advanced and the company named a new
chief executive officer.


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Power cuts hit Billiton African aluminium smelters

(Reuters) - Power cuts in recent days have hit three southern African aluminium smelters operated by BHP Billiton and more cuts are expected due to peak winter electricity demand, the mining group said on Thursday.

The firm, the world's biggest mining group, operates the Hillside and Bayside aluminium smelters in South Africa and Mozal in Mozambique.


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