Base Metals and Minerals

Nickel miner Independence Group is improving profitability against the odds on better than expected production, grades and cost control, leading brokers to upgrade their recommendations.

Wrap of events affecting the market on Friday night and the weekend and a preview of the week ahead.

It’s been a stall at the death, but Wall Street remains upbeat following a remarkable January. Dow down 49. (Accessible only for subscribers before 10:15 AEDST)

Bulks are not expected to endure the wild rides of 2012 while there’s some potential surprises in copper and aluminium. And then there’s sugar.

It came as a shock to Wall Street that the US economy actually contracted in the fourth quarter, but not too much of a shock. Dow down 44. (Accessible only for subscribers before 10:15 AEDST)

As the Dow rapidly closes the gap to 14,000, all talk on Wall Street is to whether US stocks have shot up too far, too fast. Dow up 72. (Accessible only for subscribers before 10:15 AEDST)

The outlook for LNG, while clouded, looks positive, while brokers are growing increasingly concerned about the tax burdens on miners.

The Nasdaq looked ugly, but the S&P split the difference of another up-day for the Dow on solid data. Dow up 46. (Accessible only for subscribers before 10:15 AEDST)

BHP may exceed production guidance in the medium term but with commodity prices subdued, cost reduction is the next challenge.

Following another earnings report-driven up-day, traders are catching glimpses of the all-time highs through the clouds. Dow up 66. (Accessible only for subscribers before 10:15 AEDST)