Blaming the value of the Australian dollar for all the problems and ills in manufacturing has become the easy option, write Glenn Dyer and Bernard Keane.
Alcoa
Aluminium smelting: the best bang for your fossil-fuel subsidy buck
The aluminium smelting industry is demanding massive compensation under a carbon price - but already benefits from hundreds of millions of dollars in subsidies a year.
Morning Market Report: US 3rd quarter results kick off
The US 3rd quarter results season kicked off with the first major result from Alcoa last night — the stock is up 5.8%. Meanwhile, the market is up 38, but the Dow closed down 6.
Sackwatch 12: Unemployment figures may be staying put for a while…
Crikey continues to track the job-loss carnage.
Morning Market Report: Positive broker comments for Telstra
Telstra got a boost after the government scrapped the National Broadband Network RFP process and announced its intentions to instead undertake a $43bn national “super-fast” broadband network.
Alcoa deals crippling blow to Oz resources exports
Alcoa has declared force majeure on output from its huge Western Australian alumina operations, writes Glenn Dyer.
Alumina and the unflattering comparison
There may be similarities between Alumina and Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway, but they are superficial. Look a bit closer and the differences are many, writes Adam Schwab.
Rio Tinto gets hot for aluminium. What’s next?
Now that CEO Tom Albanese has flashed Rio Tinto’s cash with a record-breaking $44 billion bid for Canadian aluminium producer, Alcan, it’s a no-brainer to forecast that BHP Billiton’s new CEO, Marius Kloppers, will be forced to follow with an even bigger bid for Alcoa.
