Funds target pockets of tight supply in 2012
Tight supply in grains and industrial metals such as copper along with further support for gold offer opportunities in what top commodities managers see as another challenging year in 2012
Godongwana stays as state intervention ‘chief’
Enoch Godongwana, who is serving his last day in Cabinet, will remain in his position as head of the ANC’s committee that will handle the report on state intervention in mining.
Transnet unveils R17bn coal solution
The much-vaunted Lothair rail project, expected to help massively ramp up coal deliveries to Richards Bay, was officially unveiled with a completion date of 2016 set for the initiative.
LME board to consider bids in late February
The London Metal Exchange has several serious potential bidders and will consider takeover proposals at its board meeting in late February, says CEO Martin Abbott.
Malawi, Vale ink $1bn rail line deal
Malawi has signed a $1bn deal with mining giant Vale for construction and rehabilitation of a rail line to transport 18 million tonnes of coal from Mozambique.
LME faces backlash against new trading fee
LME members are pushing the exchange to backtrack on a new trading fee that would boost its revenues and entice potential bidders for the 130-year-old exchange.
Top SA mining execs consider their future
Given the shortage of skills in mining, there's a lot of interest in where executives like Metorex CEO Terence Goodlace and Rand Uranium's former CEO John Munro may end up.
Rand seen below R8/$ by end-2012
The rand is expected to firm to R7.825/$ in 12 months, a Reuters poll shows, but that is dependent on a solution to Europe's debt crisis and a pickup in global growth.
Soft landing in China forecast
China's GDP growth would continue to be supportive of metal prices, according to a report by Goldman Sachs. However, the rand would strengthen before the end of 2012.
Resources give JSE New Year fillip
The JSE was up more than 2% as stronger commodity prices drove the resources sector higher, although trade was thin.