The FTSE 100 index edged lower by mid-session on Friday after hitting a new six-year closing high in the previous session, as mining and oil stocks were weighed down by weaker commodity prices.
Oil stocks led the FTSE 100 losing sector with crude prices easing below $58 a barrel as some investors focussed on forecasts [...]

That’s what environmental protesters dressed in business suits and stovepipe hats delivered to the Wall Street investment bank on Tuesday.
“Billionaires for Coal” and members of the nonprofit Rainforest Action Network staged the stunt to protest the bank’s role in financing Dallas-based utility company TXU’s plan to build 11 new coal power plants across Texas in [...]

The FTSE 100 slipped into negative territory as continued weakness among mining stocks and weak trading on Wall Street offset a host of vague merger and acquisition rumours.
At the close of trade on Friday, the FTSE 100 index was down 41.3 points at 6,228.0, nearing session lows of 6,226.4.
Volume was below average with 2.6 billion [...]

Oil and gas explorer Occidental Petroleum Corp. said Tuesday it began a cash tender offer for $1.09 billion of its debt securities.
The securities include Occidental Petroleum’s 10.125 percent senior debentures due 2009, 9.25 percent senior debentures due 2019, 8.75 percent senior notes due 2023, 7.2 percent senior debentures due 2028 and 8.45 percent senior notes [...]

Crude oil fell on speculation that U.S. fuel inventories are sufficient to meet demand as temperatures decline.
Prices jumped as much as 2.8 percent in early trading because of forecasts for colder weather in most of the U.S. Inventories of crude oil, heating oil, natural gas, gasoline and diesel in the week ended Jan. 12 were [...]

DECLINES in the price of copper early in 2007 will lead to downgrades in earnings forecasts for miners of the metal but the market is fairly confident it will regain its lustre.
Record copper prices helped the world’s biggest miner, BHP Billiton, shatter its own Australian annual net profit record in August with earnings of $US10.45 [...]

The FTSE moved higher on Thursday as mining stocks tracked commodities prices higher.
By late morning, the FTSE 100 was up 26.2 points, or 0.4 per cent, to 6,237.5 while the mid-cap FTSE rose 29.8 points, or 0.3 per cent, to 11,124.1.
Overnight, the US Dow Jones Industrial Average closed little changed at 12,577.2 while in Asia, [...]

U.K. stocks climbed, led by mining companies as base metals climbed in London. Antofagasta Plc and Xstrata Plc paced the advance.
Cairn Energy Plc and BG Group Plc rose as oil prices rebounded from a 19-month low. Amvescap Plc climbed after Citigroup Inc. raised its price estimate for the company’s shares.
The benchmark FTSE 100 Index rallied [...]

Citing increased nickel strength, production growth, and a compelling valuation, Citigroup has raised its 12-month target price for Russia’s largest mining company Norilsk Nickel from $185 a share to $200 a share. The current share price for Norilsk Nickel ADRs (NILSY) is around $155.50 a share.
“Norilsk is likely to become a beneficiary of what we [...]

Although coal companies have faced strong headwinds in recent months, an analyst at Citigroup said ingredients for a recovery loom, making it a good time to buy one of the industry’s best names.
In a client note Friday, John Hill initiated coverage on Peabody Energy Corp. at “Buy” with a target price of $48, saying he [...]