Sibanye gets US nod as Aspen feels share pain

SIBANYE Gold’s $2.2-billion deal to purchase Coloradobased Stillwater Mining will go ahead after the companies received notice from the Committee on Foreign Investment in the US that the tie-up posed no unresolved national security issues.

SOUTH Africa’s inflation rate fell to a six-month low in March after foodprice increases slowed. Consumer inflation eased to 6.1% from 6.3% in February, Stats SA reported. Prices climbed 0.6% in the month.

VODACOM’S Tanzania unit received regulatory approval to extend the deadline of its share sale for three weeks, allowing investors more time to take part in that country’s biggest initial public offering to date.

THE IMF forecast 2.6% growth in sub-Saharan Africa this year. South Africa was expected to register a slight improvement of 0.8% from 0.3% in 2016 as the impact of drought began to recede and electricity capacity improved.

THE Automobile Association of South Africa has warned that petrol will go up by 55c/l next month‚ and diesel will cost around 30c/l more. The predictions are based on unaudited mid-month fuel price data released by the Central Energy Fund.

SOUTH32, the Perthbased company also listed on the JSE, said it was dropping its planned takeover of Peabody Energy’s Metropolitan Colliery coal mine and its minority stake in the Port Kembla coal export terminal, both in Australia.

ASPEN’S shares fell this week after The Times of London, citing leaked internal emails, reported that Aspen staff discussed destroying supplies of life-saving cancer medicines during a price dispute with the Spanish health service in 2014.

ROCKWELL Diamonds has filed for business rescue to stave off attempts by a contractor to liquidate the company. An interim order against Rockwell was awarded in March. The company said its rescue plan was well advanced.