COMPANIES

Construction materials supplier Adelaide Brighton Ltd has admitted Wednesday that it is facing numerous challenges on multiple fronts which include the volatile foreign exchange issues, high cost pressures and brewing stiff competition from imported limes.

AWB Ltd reported a net loss of $64.8 million for the half and a profit before tax and significant items of $32.8 million for continuing businesses for the half year to end of March.

Fortescue Metals Group announced today that two of the mining company's three expansion projects have been placed on hold due to the financial impact of the government's proposed Resource Super Profits Tax (RSPT).

Minerals tester Ammtec Ltd announced it is considering a $123 million takeover offer from laboratory services and chemicals producer Campbell Brothers Ltd.

Real estate developer Stockland announced it is on track to achieve record residential sales in FY 2010, with approximately 5,000 net deposits achieved by the end of April.

BHP Billiton continues its campaign against the planned resources tax by saying that its implementation would impact dividends to 540,000 shareholders.

Origin Energy and BG Group have jointly informed the Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration conference held in Brisbane today that they will reveal by the end of the year if the planned multi-billion dollar liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in Queensland would push through.

Bradken Ltd kicked up on Tuesday its annual earnings guidance from the previous financial year of $169.1 million and revealed that it will raise $65 million to buy Canada’s Almac Machine Works as it hopes that better turnovers from its rail division would help propel the company beyond the profits it had amassed last year.

Chi-X Australia Pty. Limited has announced that the firm is a step closer to delivering on its commitment to introduce faster, cheaper and smarter equities trading for the Australian market later this year, with the expansion of its business development unit.

Macarthur Coal Ltd rejected the revised $3.81 billion offer of US-based Peabody Energy Corporation.

Transurban Group Ltd shares were down 24 cents, or 5.1 per cent, to $4.44 after one of its key shareholder, Ontario Teachers Pension Plan Board (OTPPB), sold its stake in the company.

Resource and rail products makers Bradken Ltd intends to raise $50 million through share placement to fund the acquisition of Canada's Almac Machine Works.

BHP Billition Ltd is taking its battle against super-tax profits by hosting shareholder meetings nationwide to warn investors of the impact of the proposed resources tax.

Air New Zealand hits back at Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) and accused it of making a "jurisdictional and financial grab" after the corporate watchdog announced yesterday it has begun legal proceedings against Air New Zealand and Japan Airlines for price-fixing.

Goodman Group and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) announced the establishment of a new fund worth $400 million.

The Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ) has announced on Monday its accomplishment on the acquisition of the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) on its retail and commercial businesses in Singapore.

The $361.5 million takeover bid by a Japanese company for CBH Resources Ltd is fair and square, that according to Grant Thornton Corporate Finance Pty Ltd, which further described the offer as more beneficial and superior in favour of CBH on its published findings on Monday.

Department stores operator Myer Holdings has expressed confidence on Monday that it is en route to a previously established full year earnings guidance of $3.33 billion amidst anticipated sales slow downs as the company enters a much challenging fourth quarter.

Construction and energy biggie Leighton Holdings Ltd has reported on Monday that company net profit jumped by 82 percent as it listed an after tax earnings of $400.3 million in the past nine months ending in March 31 this year and subsequently reaffirmed its full year earnings guidance.

Australia & New Zealand Banking Group Ltd. (ANZ) announced the completion of its acquisition of Royal Bank of Scotland PLC's (RBS) retail and commercial businesses in Singapore as it officially opens its Singapore branches today.

Miner giant BHP Billiton suggested that proposed resources super profits tax by the Federal Government should only apply to new investments and not for existing ones.

Myer Holdings Ltd reported flat sales for the third quarter of 2010 but reaffirmed its full year guidance.

Agribusiness Elders Ltd. reported a $165 million first half loss, but forecasted improvement in second half earnings.

BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto remain committed to the proposed merger of their Pilbara iron-ore operations, in the midst of uncertainties created by government's proposed 40 per cent super-profits tax.

Healthscope Ltd executives spent the weekend considering the surprise $1.74 billion takeover offer it received from a private equity consortium.

Beverage giant Coca-Cola Amatil Ltd (CCA) has informed company shareholders that it is currently trading on solid grounds as it reaffirmed its previous sales guidance while projecting at the same time that the company is most likely headed to single-digit growth for the first half of 2010.

Northern Iron has reported Friday that its troubled Sydvaranger iron ore project in Norway will be re-commissioned ahead of schedule as solutions that would solve the site’s problems are well underway.

The Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd (ANZ) has announced plans to distribute and trade its FX structured products using FinIQ's structured product system.

Gas and oil producer Santos Limited recently appointed Fluor Australia Limited as its contractor to perform engineering duties, procurement and construction of upstream facilities at its Gladstone liquefied natural gas project (GLNG) in Queensland.