Global miner BHP Billiton painted a gloomy near-term outlook for metals demand on Thursday as it defended its decision to drop a $66 billion (43 billion pounds) bid for rival Rio Tinto.
Royal Dutch Shell said third quarter current cost of supply (CCS) net profit jumped 71 percent to 6.5 billion pounds, boosted by high oil prices and asset sales.
Energy and natural resources consultancy RPS Group on Wednesday said third quarter trading had been robust and that it was likely to meet analyst expectations for the full year.
Gas producer BG Group launched a A$5.6 billion (2.17 billion pound) friendly takeover bid for Australia's Queensland Gas(QGC), its latest effort to boost its position in Asia's fast-growing natural gas market.
BP beat analysts' forecasts and reported a 148 percent rise in third-quarter replacement cost profits, compared with the same period in 2007, to $10.029 billion (6.4 billion pounds), due to higher oil prices.
Manganese Bronze, makers of the iconic black London taxi cab, warned Wednesday that trading in the United Kingdom continues to be impacted by the uncertain economic conditions and that demand for new vehicles in the second half of 2008 will be below those of the first six months.
Electronics company Laird Group said its underlying 2008 performance should be within current market estimates, but it was taking action to reduce costs in line with a lower-growth environment.
General Motors will lay off 1,500 hourly workers at plants in Michigan and Delaware where it builds pickup trucks, large cars and a two-seat roadster due to slowing demand, a spokesman said on Thursday.
Temporary power provider Aggreko said its 2008 pretax profit should beat forecasts and be at least 50 percent higher than last year, after better than expected third-quarter trading.
Software group Autonomy Corporation beat market expectations by posting adjusted pretax profit of $53.7 million (30.7 million pounds) for the third quarter on Wednesday, and said it was confident about its outlook.
Housebuilder Bellway posted a 29 percent fall in pretax profit before exceptional items for the year to end-July, reflecting an "unprecedented" decline in the housing and mortgage markets.
