Industrials, Materials & Utilities

UPDATE 2-Australia's Alumina to raise $300 mln in convertibles 11:00pm EDT

SYDNEY, May 13 (Reuters) - Australia's Alumina Ltd said on Tuesday it launched an offer to raise about $300 million in convertible bonds to repay debt, help fund the expansion of an alumina refinery and dig a new bauxite mine. Full Article

UPDATE 1-Zinifex says expects lower earnings in H2 10:44pm EDT

SYDNEY, May 13 (Reuters) - Zinc miner Zinifex Ltd said on Tuesday it expected lower second-half earnings as weaker zinc prices and higher costs outweigh a rise in sales. Full Article

UPDATE 2-Mexico's Fresnillo to double silver, gold output 9:39pm EDT

MEXICO CITY, May 12 (Reuters) - Mexican precious metals miner Fresnillo will invest money from its recent London IPO to buy new mines and double output at the world's biggest silver mine, its CEO said on Monday. Full Article

More Industrials, Materials & Utilities Articles

UPDATE 1-Australia's Harvey Norman 4-month sales up 6.4 pct 9:08pm EDT

MELBOURNE, May 13 (Reuters) - Australian electrical goods and furniture retailer Harvey Norman Holdings Ltd said on Tuesday total sales for the four months to April 30 rose 6.4 percent as consumers eased back on big-ticket purchases. Full Article

UPDATE 1-Finmeccanica to buy U.S. DRS for $5.2 billion 9:02pm EDT

ROME, May 13 (Reuters) - Italy's Finmeccanica SpA reached a $5.2 billion deal to buy DRS Technologies Inc. securing itself a bigger presence in the growing U.S. defence market which accounts for half the world's military spending. Full Article

Australia's Harvey Norman says sales up 6.4 pct 8:52pm EDT

MELBOURNE, May 13 (Reuters) - Australian electrical goods and furniture retailer Harvey Norman Holdings Ltd said on Tuesday total sales for the four months to April 30 rose 6.4 percent, as consumers eased back on big-ticket purchases. Full Article

PRESS DIGEST-Indonesian Business News - May 13 8:52pm EDT

Following are the leading business stories in the main Indonesian newspapers on May 13. Full Article

Doosan Infracore to build $192 mln factory in China 8:52pm EDT

SEOUL, May 13 (Reuters) - South Korea's Doosan Infracore said on Tuesday it would invest $192 million to build a construction equipment factory in China. Full Article

Methanex to reopen New Zealand methanol plant 8:28pm EDT

WELLINGTON, May 13 (Reuters) - Methanex Corp , the world's biggest methanol producer, said on Tuesday it would reopen one of its New Zealand plants after securing more supplies of natural gas. Full Article

Alumina to raise $300 mln in convertible bonds 8:13pm EDT

SYDNEY, May 13 (Reuters) - Australia's Alumina Ltd said on Tuesday it has launched an offer to raise about $300 million in convertible bonds, with the proceeds to be used to repay debt and fund investment in existing growth projects. Full Article

Market Update

Exchanges and Trading Summit

Execs defend humans in high-tech markets Friday, 9 May 2008 08:04pm EDT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The heads of the world's biggest stock exchanges agree there is still room for the "human element" in a high-speed trading environment that has aggressively gone electronic. Full Article

NASDAQ OMX backs Paulson rules blueprint

New trading platforms challenge LSE