Johannesburg | Reuters –– Glencore has increased its debt reduction target and deepened its capital spending cuts, stepping up its response to lower commodity prices and boosting its battered shares by 12 per cent on Thursday. The mining and commodities trading firm and owner of Canadian grain handler Viterra said it was targeting net debt […] Read more
Flax
Glencore shares jump on debt reduction moves, spending cuts
Dow-DuPont talks driven by weak farm demand, investor pressure
Reuters — Merger talks between Dow Chemical and DuPont are likely to have been precipitated by shareholder pressure and weakening demand for crop-protection chemicals, and such a deal would have been unlikely even a few months ago. Stocks of both companies jumped 12 per cent on Wednesday — Dow’s to a record high of $56.80 […] Read more
CP revises offer for Norfolk Southern, rebuffed again
Reuters — Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) on Tuesday revised its bid to buy U.S. railroad operator Norfolk Southern Corp, less than a week after its prior $28.4 billion proposal was rejected but the new offer was promptly rejected again. Calgary-based CP said it was now offering $32.86 in cash and 0.451 of a share in […] Read more
BHP Billiton to cut 76 Sask. potash jobs
Reuters — Anglo-Australian miner BHP Billiton will cut 76 jobs from its Canadian potash operations due to low commodity prices, a company spokesperson said on Friday. Work continues on sinking and lining shafts at BHP’s potash mine near Jansen, Sask., about 60 km southeast of Humboldt, according to the spokesperson. The mine would be the […] Read more
U.S. railway Norfolk Southern rejects CP offer
Reuters — U.S. railroad operator Norfolk Southern said Friday its board had rejected Canadian Pacific Railway’s US$28.4 billion offer, calling it “grossly inadequate” and could face substantial regulatory hurdles. A struggling coal transportation market, suppressed by weak market demand and global oversupply, has weighed on the earnings of Norfolk, making it more vulnerable as a […] Read more
Huge Canadian canola crop beats expectations
CNS Canada — An upward revision to Canada’s 2015-16 canola crop was widely anticipated in the industry, but Statistics Canada’s latest survey results have surpassed even the most optimistic forecasts — and will lead to major adjustments in the country’s supply/demand balance sheet. StatsCan on Friday pegged the year’s canola production at 17.2 million tonnes, […] Read more
Bigger crops anticipated ahead of StatsCan report
CNS Canada –– Canada’s harvest ended up better than expected in 2015-16, with upward revisions expected for the country’s wheat and canola production when Statistics Canada releases its latest survey data Friday. “It turns out that the crop didn’t suffer as much in Alberta and Saskatchewan,” said Jerry Klassen, manager of the Canadian office for […] Read more
Dreyfus family members reported asking to be bought out
London | Reuters –– Members of the founding family of Louis Dreyfus Commodities have asked the majority shareholder of the commodities trader to buy out most of their stake, Britain’s Financial Times newspaper reported Sunday. Quoting sources familiar with the situation, the newspaper said the family members had informed Margarita Louis-Dreyfus of their intention to […] Read more
Low ocean freight rates likely to stick around
CNS Canada –– Ocean freight rates are at some of their lowest levels ever and will likely stay that way for at least the next two years, according to an industry analyst. “We’re near hitting bottom, but just because we hit bottom it doesn’t mean we won’t scrape along it for awhile,” said Jay O’Neil, […] Read more
Slimmer harvest yields faster deliveries from railways
CNS Canada –– A year ago, Western Canada’s shortline railways were struggling to meet commitments, but this year’s smaller grain production has reduced the stress on rail transporters. “There’s no shortage of cars, and there’s no problems in shipping,” said Sheldon Affleck, president of Regina-based shortline Big Sky Rail. A year ago, rail companies struggled […] Read more
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