Australia & New Zealand
Shell, PetroChina Win Arrow With $3.2 Billion Offer, Adding Coal-Seam Gas Royal Dutch Shell Plc and
PetroChina Co. agreed to buy Arrow Energy Ltd. after increasing
their offer to A$3.5 billion ($3.2 billion), marking China’s
entry to Australia’s coal-seam gas industry.
Rio Tinto's Stern Hu Pleads Guilty to Charges of Bribery, Lawyer Tao Says Australian Stern Hu, Rio Tinto
Group’s iron ore executive in China, pleaded guilty to bribery
charges in a Shanghai court, the lawyer for one of his
colleagues facing the same charges said.
Australian, New Zealand Dollars Fall as Indian Rate Increase Damps Demand The Australian dollar slid for a
third day as lower commodity and equity prices dented demand for
higher-yielding assets.
Axa Asia Says National Australia, Axa Takeover Talks at Advanced Stage Axa Asia Pacific Holdings Ltd. said
talks between National Australia Bank Ltd., Axa SA and itself on
a $12 billion takeover plan are at an advanced stage.
Temasek-Owned SP AusNet Swaps Loans for Bonds to Reduce Financing Risks SP AusNet, which manages a A$6.3
billion ($5.77 billion) electricity and gas network, is
replacing bank debt with bonds to get cheaper funding and
flexibility to increase loans if bond markets slam shut.
Premier Investments Drops Most in 3 Months After 14% Decline in Earnings Premier Investments Ltd.,
Australia’s largest specialty-clothing retailer, fell the
most in more than three months in Sydney trading after
reporting a 14 percent drop in first-half earnings.
Rio Tinto Will Aim to Help China Secure Resources Overseas, Albanese Says Rio Tinto Group, the world’s third-
largest mining company, wants to help China secure overseas
mines and explore for domestic deposits.
ANZ Banking May Add 9 Branches in Taiwan Over Two Years, Thursby Says Australia & New Zealand Banking
Group Ltd. plans to add as many as nine additional branches in
Taiwan over the next two years, according to the head of its
Asia-Pacific operations.
Sugar Cane Damage Substantial in Area Hit by Cyclone Ului, Canegrowers Say Sugar cane damage in part of
Australia’s Queensland state may be substantial after Tropical
Cyclone Ului flattened some crops in the world’s third-largest
exporter of the sweetener, a growers’ group said.
BHP Billiton's Hay Point Coal Terminal Damaged by Cyclone, Remains Closed BHP Billiton Ltd., the world’s
biggest mining company, said its Hay Point Coal terminal in
Australia was damaged at the weekend and remains shut after
being hit by a cyclone that also closed mines.
Rudd's Labor Party Rejected in Two State Ballots Before National Election Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s Labor
Party lost ground in state elections in South Australia and
Tasmania as he prepares for a national poll likely to be called
later this year.
Cyclone Ului Weakens After Damaging Homes, Sugar Cane Crops in Queensland Cyclone Ului weakened to a
depression after slamming northern Queensland with winds gusting
to 200 kilometers (124 miles) an hour yesterday, damaging houses
and sugar cane plantations and triggering power blackouts.
Swine Flu to Hit Australia With Same Severity as Last Year, Roxon Says Australian Health Minister Nicola
Roxon said today that swine flu will match last year’s severity
in Australia, when 191 deaths were associated with the pandemic
influenza that killed almost 17,000 people worldwide.