The potential £50 billion (US$82 billion) merger-of-equals between Swiss commodities and mining neighbours Glencore International Plc (“Glencore”) and Xstrata Plc (“Xstrata”) is quite literally yesterday’s news now that early market indications have thrown mining multinational Anglo American (“Anglo”) into the mix. Rumours abound on whether Anglo may prove to be a future takeover target should the “Glenstrata” merger unfold. Anglo shares hit their highest closing level in eight...

Don’t bank on it, says Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who took to the national television networks to once again lambaste multinational energy players for supposedly taking advantage of his country. Chavez says that Exxon Mobil’s (“Exxon”) circa US$12 billion sought during World Bank international arbitration proceedings over assets previously seized is “crazy.” Multinational energy giants have been bleeding Venezuela’s natural resources dry for long enough, he says, yesterday...

Fresh from our blog hiatus and a mag and web redesign later, IRJ editor Nuala Gallagher writes on whether 2012 will be a better year, with or without the death knell for gold’s bull run. London does gloomy well at the best of times, but as the city begrudgingly returns to its radar screens, the January blues are aided by apocalyptic headlines treating commuters to an early dose of damning market tidings and columns packed with doomsayers. If our early-rising print pack is to be believed, we’re...

The tragic news of a second explosion at Pike River Coal’s New Zealand mine, now likely claiming the lives of 29 men, has shocked the world and serves as a grave reminder that not all mining disasters deliver so happy an outcome as we have seen in Chile this year. Today is a day of mourning in New Zealand and the nation continues to investigate this terrible accident. “The government is absolutely committed to running a commission of inquiry that will leave no stone unturned to ensure...

It’s been quite some time since I last blogged over the goings on in the resource sectors. That’s why today, I attempt to make it up to you by looking at a few key announcements which, lest you spot the clues, may offer a thinly veiled nod to what is coming up in our September issue next week. Firstly, to BP’s Macondo Oil Spill. Have they plugged the leak? Yes? No? Yes again? Well, apparently not permanently just yet. The operation to beat the leak once and for all over at the Deepwater Horizon...

Perhaps it’s because I’m not close to the situation, but I just can’t fathom why anyone would want to buy BP—thinking from a brand fall-out perspective. This rumoured move by Exxon Mobil has sent BP shares upwards last week—but I’ve got an inkling that possible purchases won’t do much for the purchasers. This week, Apache Corp. declined to comment on a public report that it might buy $12 billion of BP PLC’s assets, which seems much the safer move. But Exxon Mobil also refused to...

It’s a given, we all enjoy Fridays,  but over in Australia this one is really something special. The nation’s new Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, has come in, cleaned up and thrown out that dastardly 40 per cent Resource Super Profits Tax (RSPT) we have all endured sleepless nights over between May 2, 2010 and today. It’s hard to believe it’s really gone already, isn’t it? Of course, as those waves of relief and thankfulness continue to well over us, it’s important to rake over our...

Today the President of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has announced that the nation will postpone talks with western countries as a direct counterattack for the new UN sanctions imposed on the country, aimed at preventing its uranium enrichment nuclear programme activities. Speaking from Tehran, he stated that this latest measure is, “a punishment to teach them a lesson to know how to have a dialogue with nations,” and alluded that there is more behind the western world’s attempts to halt this...

Today Australia’s now notorious Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, stood and spoke, choking back tears, at his final press conference as Prime Minister at Parliament House. Amongst the remarks made, Rudd managed to say he was “proud of the fact that we kept Australia out of the global financial crisis,” and “did my best to give Australia a fair go.” He has handed over the reins of power to Julia Gillard, the new Labour leader who said she is “throwing open the government’s door to the...

As the news buzz worldwide is filled with the sound of vuvuzela’s and everyone turns their attentions to the World Cup in South Africa, the George Media team have thrown our hats into the ring and despite yours truly drawing Algeria in the office sweepstakes —seriously conflicting any sense of support for my native England ahead of tonight’s game—everyone is having a ball. In order to tie in the tournament to all-things IRJ now is a good time to look beyond what is happening on the pitches...