LONDON (Reuters) – SABMiller, the world’s second-biggest brewer, reported higher first-quarter sales volumes on Thursday, helped by demand during an Easter holiday that fell later than last year. The London-listed company behind beers such as Miller, Grolsch and Peroni said revenue rose 6 percent in the three months to June 30, while volume sold was up 3 percent. … Read more
The ‘book-to-bill’ of major mining equipment suppliers is the ratio of orders received to units shipped and delivered – and therefore a key early indicator of shifts in momentum in mining. At Sweden’s Atlas Copco AB, one of the largest mining equipment suppliers in the world, the book-to-bill has been positive for the second straight … Read more
Like the eyes of a patient under medical examination, the rates of employment and remuneration of top professional skills reflect the state of health of resource exploration and exploitation the world over. This report by Reuters analyst John Kemp highlights the earnings wave that petroleum engineers are surfing in North America – on the back … Read more
Rockwell Diamonds Incorporated released its results for the three months ended May 31, 2014 today. The diamond mining company has had a tough run of things over the years, but seems to be on the road to sound growth and stability, with its posting of bottom-line profit, and an eighth successive quarter of revenue growth. Rockwell holds a … Read more
Anglo American has announced its intention to sell its 50% interest in Lafarge Tarmac to Lafarge for a minimum value of £885 million ($1.5 billion) on a debt and cash free basis and subject to other customary working capital adjustments. The transaction is subject to Lafarge/ Holcim merger related conditions, including Lafarge Tarmac being deemed an … Read more
One of the newest hotbeds of investment opportunity is, to everyone’s surprise, the United States. With the expansion of fracking and increased exploitation of natural gas resources, the US is suddenly a major low-cost energy producer at the cusp of a major reindustrialisation process. After decades of deindustrialisation during which capacity and jobs migrated to … Read more
The story of Nigeria, Africa’s biggest economy and one of the world’s fastest growing and most dynamic economies, is often seen as a simple tail of oil and gas resources. But there’s a lot more to the Nigerian economy, from the small businesspeople who ply their wares in the country’s bustling markets to people like … Read more