Beiträge von Kuddel

    Aus "BUSINESS DAY" vom 25.10.2004


    Gold Fields to issue response to Harmony bid.
    The board of world number four gold miner Gold Fields (GFI) on Monday said it was working closely with its
    independent financial advisers and planned to publish its formal response to Harmony's (HAR) offer by November 3.

    Last Monday, Harmony announced it was making a hostile bid for Gold Fields and was seeking to create the world's largest gold mining group by merging with Gold Fields.

    The board met last Friday to assess the full implications of Harmony's hostile offer for Gold Fields' shareholders as well as the range of measures available to Gold Fields in the preparation of a defence plan.

    Gold Fields' board said it had noted concerns related to the manner in which Harmony's offer was being conducted and its impact on shareholders' rights as well as the destruction of value.

    "In preparing its response to the unsolicited hostile offer from Harmony, the Gold Fields board will be guided by its responsibility to protect the rights of all shareholders as well as the preservation of value," the Gold
    Fields board said in a statement.

    The Gold Fields board also said that it had been advised that, under the US federal securities laws, it was constrained in what it could say in relation to Harmony's offer until the filing of its formal response on a
    Solicitation/Recommendation Statement on Schedule 14D-9 with the US Securities and Exchange Commission.

    I-Net Bridge

    Hier das ganze auch mal in deutscher Sprache.
    Kuddel
    --------------------------------------------------------------------


    Aus "WELT AM SONNTAG" vom 24.10.204


    Erbitterter Übernahmekampf um Goldminen


    In Südafrika könnte der größte Goldproduzent der Welt entstehen
    von Kristin Palitza


    Diese Woche hat Bernhard Swanepoel, 43, Spitzname "schlauer Fuchs", mal wieder bewiesen, daß der Name seines Unternehmens "Harmony" trügerische Tarnung ist. Überraschend hatte der Chef des südafrikanischen Goldminenbetreibers vergangenen Montag angekündigt, für acht Milliarden US-Dollar seinen fast doppelt so großen, einheimischen Konkurrenten Gold Fields übernehmen zu wollen.


    Prompt hatte sich der Konkurrent erst einmal geweigert, die Offerte überhaupt ernst zu nehmen. Noch liege kein offizielles Angebot vor, hieß es postwendend. Außerdem stehe man in aussichtsreichen Verhandlungen mit Iamgold, einem kanadischen Player, und wolle mit diesem fusionieren.


    Damit ist der Startschuß gefallen für eine der größten Übernahmeschlachten der Branche. Gelingt Swanepoel der Überraschungscoup und nehmen die Gold-Fields-Aktionäre das Angebot an, würde Harmony, bislang der sechstgrößte Produzent, zum größten Goldförderer der Welt. Die Firma wäre der Gigant in der Branche mit einer Fördermenge von fast acht Millionen Unzen pro Jahr. Gemessen an der Marktkapitalisierung von rund zehn Milliarden Dollar wäre es weltweit die Nummer zwei nach dem US-Konzern Newmont.


    Für Bernhard Swanepoel ginge damit ein Traum in Erfüllung. Endlich stünde er dann mit seinem Unternehmen dort, wo er immer hin wollte: an der Spitze der Welt der Goldgräber. Es ist die typische Geschichte vom Underdog, der sich nach oben kämpft. Swanepoel wuchs im südafrikanischen Rustenburg auf, sein Vater arbeitete dort in einer der weltweit bekanntesten Platinminen. Nach dem Studium zog es dann auch den Sohn unter Tage. Swanepoel jr. legte eine rasante Karriere hin. Er wurde Geschäftsführer der Goldmine Beatrix. 1995 verließ er die Mine - damals gerade 34 Jahre alt -, um den Vorsitz von Harmony zu übernehmen. Dieser Schritt machte ihn zu einem der jüngsten und erfolgreichsten Bergbaumanager Südafrikas. Unter seiner Führung wuchs das Unternehmen um das Sechsfache. Pikant heute: Gelingt die feindliche Übernahme, gehört auch die Mine Beatrix zum neuen Harmony-Gold-Imperium.


    Doch Swanepoels jüngster Coup ist weder bei den Harmony- noch bei den Gold-Fields-Eigentümern unumstritten. Die Vorstände beider Unternehmen versuchen derzeit, die Top-Aktionäre auf ihre Seite zu ziehen.


    Momentan scheint Gold Fields im Machtkampf an der Spitze zu liegen. Denn Harmonys Investorenlager ist gespalten: Harmonys zweitgrößter Aktionär, Allan Gray, dem 14 Prozent von Harmony gehören, verkündete, die Gold-Fields-Offerte sei zu hoch, während für Investoren wie Stanlib Asset Management und UOB Asset Management das Angebot viel zu niedrig ist.


    Gold Fields seinerseits versucht, von der Uneinigkeit der Harmony-Aktionäre zu profitieren und nicht nur seine eigenen Investoren, sondern auch die der Konkurrenz davon zu überzeugen, das Geschäft platzen zu lassen. Im Laufe der Woche lehnte der Gold-Fields-Vorstand Harmonys "feindliches Angebot" und "signifikante Abwertung" seiner Aktivposten strikt ab. Der Vorsitzende Ian Cockerill verteidigte in einer feurigen Rede seine bisherige 2,1-Milliarden-Dollar-Fusionsstrategie mit der kanadischen Firma Iamgold.


    Cockerill behauptete, der Wert von Gold Fields' internationalem Vermögen sei seit der Ankündigung des Iamgold-Plans im August bereits um mehr als eine halbe Milliarde Dollar gestiegen. Mit der Fusion würde Gold Fields außerdem eine Notierung an den US-Börsen bekommen und dadurch günstigeren Zugang zu internationalen Kapital- und Schuldenmärkten.


    Fatalerweise aber hat auch der Gold-Fields-Chef seine Truppen nicht geschlossen hinter sich. Ausgerechnet der russische Metall-Konzern Norilsk Nickel, größter Nickelproduzent der Welt und mit 20 Prozent Gold Fields' größter Einzelaktionär, hat Angreifer Harmony volle Unterstützung zugesichert. Der Hintergrund: Der russische Tycoon Vladimir Potanin rechne sich einen höheren Preis für seine Gold-Fields-Aktien aus, wenn an Harmony verkauft wird.


    Noch ist unklar, wer am Ende siegt. In den Augen vieler seiner Landsleute allerdings könnte Swanepoel zu einem Nationalhelden Südafrikas werden. Ist er der Sieger im Übernahmegefecht, würde er Gold Fields' Auslandsambitionen in Richtung Kanada vereiteln und das Unternehmen durch die Fusion im Land halten. Andererseits gilt er als knallharter Sanierer. Seit Herbst vergangenen Jahres entließ das seit vier Quartalen mit Verlusten arbeitende Unternehmen Harmony 4000 Arbeiter. Obwohl der Goldpreis seit Ende 2001 um fast 50 Prozent auf 419 Dollar pro Unze in die Höhe schoß, machen die südafrikanischen Goldproduzenten keinen Gewinn. Denn die südafrikanische Währung Rand legte im gleichen Zeitraum 87 Prozentpunkte gegen den Dollar zu. Entsprechend besorgt sind die Gewerkschaften über die geplante Fusion mit Gold Fields. Die Nationale Bergbauunion und Solidarity warnten, daß 7000 Jobs auf dem Spiel stünden, da bereits angekündigt wurde, die Kosten um 15 Prozent zu kürzen.


    So könnte am Ende doch das Patriotismusargument das Zünglein an der Waage sein. Der Zusammenschluß von Gold Fields und den Kanadiern von Iamgold bedeute die "Internationalisierung von einheimischen Bodenschätzen" hieß es ablehnend aus Gewerkschaftskreisen an diesem Wochenende.


    Artikel erschienen am 24. Oktober 2004

    Es sieht für mich ganz danach aus, dass Harmony doch Gold Fields schlucken wird. Vor allem auch deshalb, weil Norilsk Nickel dahinter steht (mit mindestens 20 % Aktienanteil). Auch Mvelaphanda wird sich noch 'umdrehen' lassen, wenn der Preis stimmt. Es wird halt nur teurer, als bisher angeboten. Für mich macht es aber Sinn, da Harmony-Boss Swanepoel mit Harmony schon gezeigt hat, wie aus einem kleinen Goldförderer ein großer Konzern geschmiedet werden kann. Ein Zusammenschluß würde auf der Kostenseite erhebliche Vorteile bringen und damit - auch bei anhaltender Randstärke - wieder in den profitablen Bereich führen. Das käme dann auch wieder dem Aktienkurs zugute.
    Kuddel

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    Aus "BUSINESS DAY" vom 20.10.2004


    Sexwale backs Gold Fields over Harmony


    Mvelaphanda boss Tokyo Sexwale has thrown his weight behind Gold Fields after Monday's launch by Harmony of a hostile bid for its South African mining rival.
    Mvelaphanda does not directly hold equity in Gold Fields, but has a 15% stake in Gold Fields' South African assets.


    Gold Fields CE Ian Cockerill said yesterday that Monday's Gold Fields board meeting, which was attended by Sexwale, had "unanimously" rejected Harmony's hostile take-over bid, in favour of Gold Fields' own strategy of a reverse listing of its non-Southern African Development Community assets into Canada's IAMGOLD.


    "Tokyo gave his assurance he is on the side of Gold Fields," said Cockerill.


    On Monday Harmony, chaired by businessman Patrice Motsepe, launched a R52,9bn bid for Gold Fields, claiming that it could shave 15% a year off the costs of Gold Fields' local operations, and that the IAMGOLD deal would be value-destructive for shareholders.


    Both Harmony and Gold Fields executives are embarking on extensive foreign travel in an attempt to win over shareholders.


    Harmony hinted yesterday that it might sweeten the deal if its initial offer of 1,275 Harmony shares for each Gold Fields share failed to win sufficient support.


    Meanwhile, Cockerill hinted that a Gold Fields counter-attack was being hatched, although he would not divulge any further details.


    "Our advisers are beavering away, looking at a broad range of options all will be revealed in due course. Our defence is based on the fact that our proposals to our shareholders show better value than those of Harmony."


    "We have to get out there, and we have to bang the drum, and we will do that," he said.


    Harmony has said it is offering a premium of more than 29% on the Gold Fields share price, but Cockerill said that if one took yesterday morning's share price fix, it amounted to a premium of only 2,5% .


    Cockerill insisted that the IAMGOLD deal represented better value than the Harmony offer to Gold Fields shareholders, who had already seen the Gold Fields share price rise in response to the IAMGOLD plan.


    Cockerill said that after taking a "straw poll" of Gold Fields investors in North America, he had detected "concern, bordering on anger that this interference (by Harmony) has taken place".


    He also questioned whether any of Gold Fields shareholders would want to accept Harmony shares , "which are subject to dilution and not backed by the assets of Gold Fields".


    Cockerill rejected suggestions that the merger would be beneficial in creating the world's largest gold producer.


    Meanwhile, JP Morgan vice-chairman Lord Robin Renwick resigned from the Harmony board yesterday, citing conflict of interest.


    JP Morgan together with Goldman Sachs have been appointed to advise Gold Fields on the take-over bid.


    Business Day

    Da kommen schon die ersten Signale aus dem Gold Fields Lager.
    Die Übernahmeschlacht kann beginnen.
    Kuddel.

    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Aus "BUSINESS DAY" vom 19.10.2004


    'Harmony bid undervalues Gold Fields' assets'


    The board of South African gold miner Gold Fields (GFI) says the bid by rival Harmony (HAR) "significantly
    undervalues" Gold Fields' portfolio of assets and completely disregards the significant value that will be created from the IAMGold transaction.

    The Board of Gold Fields on Tuesday urged shareholders to continue to support Gold Fields' stated strategy of pursuing the IAMGold transaction.

    On Monday Harmony announced the terms of a proposed merger between it and Gold Fields, under which Harmony proposes to acquire the entire issued share capital of Gold Fields in exchange for the issue to Gold Fields shareholders of new shares in Harmony.

    The proposed merger is conditional on the proposed IAMGold transactionnot proceeding and the approval of the proposed merger by Harmony shareholders.

    In terms of the offer, Harmony is offering 1.275 Harmony shares for each Gold Fields share and ADS.
    The offer values Goldfields at 52.9 billion rand or $8.1 billion based on the closing price of 84.41 rand per
    Harmony share on the JSE Securities Exchange South Africa on 14 October.

    The proposed merger ratio represents a premium of approximately 29% on the closing price.

    Gold Fields shareholders were advised on Tuesday that the Board of Directors will consider the advice from its independent financial advisors, Goldman Sachs International and JPMorgan, and is currently forming its own view and recommendation regarding the Offer.

    "The preliminary view of the Board of Directors however is that the Offer is not in line with Gold Fields' stated strategy or in the interest of Gold Fields' shareholders," it said.

    The Board of Gold Fields continues to firmly believe that the IAMGold transaction is in the best interests of shareholders as it provides an international platform for aggressive growth with full access to international debt and capital markets.


    It unlocks the intrinsic value of Gold Fields" international assets and places control of a global growth vehicle firmly in South African hands.


    The see through value of Gold Fields' International assets has increased by more than USD0.5bn from
    announcement of the IAMGold transaction till Friday 15th October close, it said.

    In addition, Gold Fields said the implied premium in the proposal, based on the closing price of Gold Fields' ADSs in New York on Friday 15 October was 7%.


    The implied premium based on current trading levels is negligible.


    Based on the Board of Gold Fields' perception of relative fundamental value the proposed exchange ratio vastly overvalues Harmony's asset contribution to any potential combination.

    Over the past year the cost per Kilogram performance of Harmony has significantly lagged that of Gold Fields, it added.

    "The Board of Gold Fields therefore believes that the proposal significantly undervalues Gold Fields" high quality portfolio of assets and completely disregards the significant value that will be created from the
    IAMGold transaction.

    "The Board of Gold Fields urges shareholders to continue to support Gold Fields" stated strategy of pursuing the IAMGold transaction.

    The views of the company's independent financial advisors and of the Board of Directors will be made known to shareholders shortly, it concluded.


    I-Net Bridge

    So geht's weiter !
    Kuddel.
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Aus "BUSINESS DAY" vom 19.10.2004


    'Bidding war may emerge for Gold Fields'
    The hostile bid for world number four gold miner Gold Fields (GFI) by world number six gold miner Harmony Gold (HAR) may spark a bidding war for Gold Fields, London-based analysts for Numis Securities wrote in a note.

    Harmony's all-share offer, which is at a 29% premium to Gold Fields share's recent trading price, may be an effort to deliver a knockout blow without having to provide a cash element to shareholders, Numis said.

    "We note, however, that last year's production at Harmony of 3.3 million troy ounces at a cash cost of US$360/oz was a significantly higher cost than the 4.2 million oz produced by Gold Fields at a cost of $302/oz.
    "Existing shareholders of Gold Fields may question whether becoming part of an enlarged Harmony dilutes the quality of their assets," the analysts wrote.

    "The attempt to secure a quick knockout may be directed to ensure that there is no response from other parties potentially interested in Gold Fields," Numis added.

    The existing top three gold producers in the world, US producer Newmont, African miner AngloGold Ashanti (ANG) and Canada's Barrick may not necessarily welcome an enlarged Harmony leaping ahead of them, the broker said.

    "We would not rule out a response from one or more of them to protect their position," Numis added.

    Earlier on Monday, Russia's Norilsk Nickel said it would back Harmony's proposed hostile takeover of Gold Fields and would vote against a transaction between Gold Fields and Canadian gold miner IAMGOLD.

    "This may only be a step in Norilsk Nickel's strategy. For example, as an existing nickel and platinum group metals producer, they could be interested in Gold Fields' Arctic Platinum project in Finland or possibly in the international gold producing assets Gold Fields is proposing to include in the merger with IAMGOLD," the analysts said.

    Earlier in 2004, Norilsk bought Anglo American's (Anglo, AGL) 20% stake in Gold Fields for about US$1.2 billion.

    "Gold Fields now looks to be 'in-play'. We suspect that many Gold Fields shareholders may be holding on to their shares in order to maintain exposure to any alternative offer which may emerge," Numis said.

    I-Net Bridge

    Also ein 'feindlicher' Übernahmeversuch. Das wird dauern.
    Das wird dem Kurs von Harmony wohl leider nicht gut bekommen.
    Kuddel.


    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Aus "BUSINESS DAY" vom 19.10.2004


    Gold Fields flatly rejects Harmony's bid

    Gold Fields' directors were summoned to a crisis board meeting yesterday as the company prepared to repel a hostile take-over bid by rival Harmony Gold.
    Harmony yesterday officially launched an offer to acquire all of Gold Fields' shares in a deal worth R52,9bn, swapping them for Harmony shares, an offer Gold Fields regards as "grossly inadequate".


    Under the Harmony offer, Gold Fields shareholders will get 1,275 Harmony shares for every Gold Fields share, which represents a 29% premium to the 30 business day volume-weighted average up to Thursday last week.


    However, Gold Fields CE Ian Cockerill said if the closing prices of both companies in New York on Friday were used, the premium would be just 7%.


    Harmony CE Bernard Swanepoel said there would be important synergies in the proposed merger. He said Harmony could cut costs at Gold Fields' South African operations 15% a year by closing the head office, procurement initiatives and by introducing more efficient mining methods.


    If the deal goes through it will create the world's largest gold producer and the sixth-largest company on the SE Securities Exchange SA, perched between Sasol and Standard Bank.


    An early indication that Gold Fields had a fight on its hands came with the announcement by Harmony that it had won the backing of Norlisk of Russia, which owns 20% of Gold Fields.


    Gold Fields said yesterday that it had appointed Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan to advise on the deal.


    London-based analysts Numis said yesterday the Harmony offer might trigger a bidding war for Gold Fields. "The attempt to secure a quick knockout may be directed to ensure that there is no response from other parties potentially interested in Gold Fields," said analysts Simon Beardsmore and John Meyer.


    "The existing top three producers in the world, Newmont, Anglogold and Barrick may not necessarily welcome an enlarged Harmony leap-frogging them. We can not rule out a response from one or more of them to protect their position."


    Cockerill was in fighting spirit yesterday when he attacked the Harmony offer. He rejected Harmony's main criticism of Gold Fields' current strategy a claim that the planned reverse listing of Gold Fields' non-Southern African Development Community assets into Iamgold of Canada was flawed, and would destroy shareholder value.


    If the reverse listing were to go through, Iamgold would be renamed Gold Fields International, and would be run by Gold Fields chairman and former CE Chris Thompson. "This transaction will provide Gold Fields with an international platform for aggressive growth, and with full access to the international capital markets," said Cockerill.


    "For Gold Fields shareholders, it will unlock the intrinsic value of our international assets, and provides control over a global growth vehicle firmly in South African hands.


    "We will prevail (in resisting the Harmony take-over) because the proposal that has been put forward does not work in the interests of our shareholders.


    "Big is not necessarily better."


    He suggested Harmony was pursuing the deal to upgrade its own asset base, and said that in the last reported quarter Gold Fields had made an operating profit of R545m, compared to Harmony's operating loss of R254m.


    "People need to think very carefully about swapping Gold Fields paper for Harmony paper," he said .


    Meanwhile, Solidarity trade union criticised the Harmony bid. "Up to 7000 Gold Fields workers can lose their work if Harmony gets control of Gold Fields."


    Business Day

    Hoffentlich verhebt sich Harmony dabei nicht !
    Kuddel
    -----------------------------------------------------------------


    Aus "DIE WELT" vom 19.10.2004


    Goldminenbetreiber im Fusionsfieber


    Harmony Gold Mining gibt feindliches Übernahme-Angebot für südafrikanischen Konkurrenten Gold Fields ab
    London - In Südafrika soll der weltgrößte Goldproduzent entstehen: Harmony Gold Mining hat für 52,9 Mrd. Rand (6,61 Mrd. Euro) in Aktien ein feindliches Übernahmeangebot für den Wettbewerber Gold Fields abgegeben. Zusammen kommen die Goldproduzenten auf eine Jahresproduktion von etwa 7,8 Mio. Unzen. Damit wären sie größer als Newmont Mining aus Denver in den USA.


    Eine Übernahme würde die Pläne von Gold Fields zunichte machen, die kanadische Iamgold in einem Aktientausch im Wert von 2,1 Mrd. Dollar zu kaufen. Diese Transaktion, die im August bekanntgegeben wurde, sei nicht im besten Interesse der Aktionäre von Gold Fields, da sie die Aktiva von Gold Fields außerhalb Südafrikas unterbewerte, sagte Bernard Swanepoel, Vorstandsvorsitzender von Harmony, bei einer Präsentation in Johannesburg.


    Harmony will einen Aufschlag von 29 Prozent für Gold Fields, ein Unternehmen, das doppelt so groß ist wie Harmony, bieten.Das Übernahmegebot hat zudem die Unterstützung von OAO GMK Norilsk Nickel. Der größte russische Bergbaukonzern hält 20 Prozent an Gold Fields und ist damit größter Aktionär. Die südafrikanischen Wettbewerbshüter müßten der Übernahme zustimmen.


    Seit Ende 2001 ist der Goldpreis etwa 50 Prozent gestiegen, aber im selben Zeitraum hat der Rand gegenüber dem Dollar 87 Prozent an Wert gewonnen. Das nagte am Gewinn der Goldproduzenten, da sie meist Kosten in lokaler Währung zahlen und das Edelmetall in Dollar verkaufen. Harmony verzeichnete vier Quartalsverluste in Folge.


    Durch die Übernahme würde der Vorsteuer-Betriebsgewinn um etwa eine Mrd. Rand im Jahr steigen, hieß es bei Harmony. Außerdem wären Kosteneinsparungen durch die Streichung von Stellen im Verwaltungsapparat und die gemeinsame Nutzung von Ausrüstung und Infrastruktur möglich. Das Gemeinschaftsunternehmen würde etwa 86 000 Mitarbeiter beschäftigen und Minen in Südafrika, Australien, Ghana sowie ein Projekt in Peru betreiben. "Die meisten Synergien werden in Johannesburg und in regionalen Büros anfallen", meint Harmony-Chef Swanepoel.


    Swanepoel übernahm 1995 das Ruder bei Harmony. Damals stand die Gesellschaft am Rande des Bankrotts, heute ist Harmony einer der am schnellsten wachsenden Goldproduzenten. Swanepoel kaufte Minen, die größere Konkurrenten nicht wollten und erwarb Wettbewerber wie African Rainbow Minerals Gold. "Harmony hat einen ausgezeichneten Ruf, unprofitable Minen auf Vordermann zu bringen", sagte Alfred Wong, Fondsmanager bei UOB Asset Management in Singapur.


    Zur Finanzierung der Übernahme - Harmony biete 1,275 eigene Aktien für je eine Aktie von Gold Fields - will Harmony 627 Mio. neue Aktien ausgeben. Das ist fast das Doppelte der derzeit in Umlauf befindlichen Aktien. Die Aktionäre von Gold Fields wären mit zwei Dritteln am Gemeinschaftsunternehmen beteiligt. Harmony würde es führen. Gold Fields hat Goldman Sachs International und JP Morgan mit der Bewertung des Übernahmeangebots beauftragt.
    Bloomberg

    Schöne Sch....
    Wann wird sich Harmony davon wieder erholen ??
    Kuddel
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Auszug aus "BUSINESS DAY" vom 18.10.2004:


    Harmony, Gold Fields catch market's eye


    By Alison Maltz


    The JSE Securities Exchange South Africa (JSE) was in the red in noon trade on Monday led down by gold miner Harmony (HAR) as the market reacted to its proposed takeover of rival Gold Fields - which led the market's upside. Excluding activity in these two stocks, volumes were extremely light.

    At 12h05, the all share index was 0.51% weaker. The financial and banks indices had fallen 0.75% and 0.7% respectively. Resources had retreated 0.98%, the gold mining index was off 0.56% and the platinum mining index was 0.28% softer. The all share industrial index was 0.17% in the black.

    The rand was quoted at 6.40 per dollar from 6.45 when the JSE closed on Friday, while gold was quoted at US$418.85 an ounce from $419/oz at the JSE's last close.

    "Excluding Gold Fields and Harmony, the market is very quiet. That is where most of the money is going through," a dealer said. "We are also seeing quite good business in Telkom - its trading update this morning was quite positive.

    He added that the Harmony-Gold Fields story was detracting attention from the rest of the market, which was drifting lower. Weaker world markets and a stronger rand were both weighing on the market overall.

    In morning trade, Harmony (HAR) dived 7.54% or 6.30 rand to 77.20 rand, but Gold Fields (GFI) gained 4.23% or 3.98 rand to 98 rand.

    Harmony on Monday launched a bid for Gold Fields, in terms of which it is offering 1.275 Harmony shares for each Gold Fields share and for each Gold Fields ADS. The offer values Gold Fields at 52.9 billion rand or $8.1 billion based on the closing price of 84.41 rand per Harmony share on the JSE Securities Exchange South Africa on October 14 and represents a premium of approximately 29% on the closing price.

    "I think it is a bit like David taking a slingshot at Goliath," another dealer said. "It is going to be tough for Harmony to persuade Gold Fields shareholders, particularly because a significant proportion of them are offshore. Broad opinion is that the takeover might not go through, but it is still early days."

    He added that Harmony shares had been sold off on Monday morning because of the deal's potential dilutionary effect.
    ................................................................................................
    I-Net Bridge

    Aus "BUSINESS DAY" vom 18.10.2004


    Harmony in hostile bid for rival Gold Fields


    SA's largest gold producer, Harmony, is expected to launch a hostile bid for rival gold company Gold Fields today, in concert with Gold Fields' largest shareholder, Russia's Norilsk.
    Harmony is chaired by businessman Patrice Motsepe.


    The company is expected to offer its own shares for Gold Fields stock, as it has been suffering from the strong rand, and it does not have enough cash to fund the deal, which could be worth R48bn, based on Gold Fields' market value.


    If successful, the deal would enable Harmony to upgrade its asset profile, and would also enable Norilsk to torpedo offshore listing plans by Gold Fields, which is planning to reverse-list its non-Southern African Development Community (SADC) assets into Canada's Iamgold.


    Norilsk holds 20% of Gold Fields, and there has been recurrent speculation that it intends to raise its stake.


    Harmony is believed to have been planning its move on Gold Fields for some time, but was prompted to act by rumours last week that a bid for Gold Fields was being formulated. Gold Fields share price rose sharply on Friday, surging 3,44% to R94,02 and forcing Harmony's hand.


    "If they'd waited much longer, the rising share price would have made the deal more expensive," an industry source said.


    Harmony is understood to have made its first offer to Gold Fields directors at the weekend, with a deadline of midnight last night. Gold Fields has repeatedly said it believes it is following the best strategy for its shareholders, and is expected to turn down the offer. If this happens Harmony will launch a hostile bid, expected to be announced today.


    It is unclear what Norilsk is seeking from the deal, other than to prevent Gold Fields from reverse listing its non-SADC assets into Iamgold, which is due to be rebranded Gold Fields International after the transaction.


    However, one likely scenario if the hostile take-over were to succeed would be Norilsk acquiring Gold Fields' international assets, with Harmony getting hold of the local and SADC mines. Another scenario would be Norilsk taking control of Harmony.


    Gold Fields shareholders will be expected to want a healthy premium for any take-over deal. The transaction would be complicated by the need to obtain permission from SA's competition authorities, and from the Reserve Bank if Norilsk is involved.


    "There is likely to be a lot of concern about a Harmony bid," said an analyst. "Gold Fields has a strategy its shareholders like, and they won't want to give over control of their company, which has a respected management."


    Mark Smith and David Talbot of Dundee Securities of Canada said at the weekend January's reverse listing of Gold Fields "should be difficult to stop, given its apparent universal support".


    However, if the deal were to go through, it would consolidate Motsepe not only as one of SA's pre-eminent black entrepreneurs, but also as a major dealmaker.


    Neither Harmony nor Gold Fields would comment on the proposed take-over yesterday.


    Harmony's share price closed 1,08% lower at R83,50 on Friday.


    Business Day

    Aus "BUSINESS DAY" vom 15.10.2004


    Rates hold; Moody's to upgrade SA


    By Hilary Joffe and Nasreen Seria


    SA moved a step closer to an upgrade of its international credit rating yesterday after rating agency Moody's gave SA's improved foreign exchange reserves and better growth prospects the thumbs up.


    This came as the Reserve Bank's monetary policy committee decided to leave short-term interest rates unchanged, but indicated the outlook for inflation was favourable for at least the next two years.


    However, economists said the Bank's decision yesterday to keep the repo rate flat at 7,5%, which was widely expected, did not rule out further rate cuts if oil prices declined or the rand continued to strengthen.


    Moody's said it had placed SA's Baa2 sovereign rating on review for a possible upgrade. This commits the agency to a decision within three months, with the probability that it will upgrade to Baa1, a rating that is two notches above investment grade. The other two leading international agencies, Standard & Poor's and Fitch, have SA at one notch above investment grade, but Moody's has traditionally led the pack .


    A sovereign ratings notch-up would make it cheaper for SA to borrow on international markets and that should ultimately help to cut the cost of capital in the domestic market.


    National treasury director- general Lesetja Kganyago said the spreads on SA's international bonds were likely to start pricing in the likelihood of a ratings upgrade by Moody's, whose analysts are due to visit SA within the next couple of months before making their decision.


    The low level of SA's foreign exchange reserves had previously been a key factor holding back an upgrade. But Moody's vice-president Kristin Lindow said yesterday that SA's international liquidity position was now fully consistent with a rating at this level.


    SA's external assets were now such that SA could avoid a lot of the volatility, in the exchange rate and in capital markets, that had plagued it in the past, she said.


    Moody's was also more optimistic about SA's ability to sustain a stable healthy growth rate. "It seems as though things have really stabilised and improved and we are looking at a situation where SA will achieve quite good growth for several years to come."


    Two issues that the agency would be checking out on its visit to SA were whether there was any chance of a reversal of the strong capital inflows SA had been seeing, and whether the big pick-up in domestic credit demand indicated any "overheating".


    Bank governor Tito Mboweni said yesterday the inflation outlook was "promising" over the longer term. But he highlighted the unpredictable rand, soaring oil prices, high wage costs and strong domestic demand as factors causing the Bank to hold rates steady yesterday.


    The rand strengthened to below R6,50 to the dollar following the Moody's announcement, almost 10c stronger than its previous close of R6,5975. The local unit fell back late yesterday to trade at about R6,5135.


    Business Day
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Da wird es wohl in nächster Zeit nichts mit einer weiteren Randschwäche. Mboweni wird uns den Gefallen nicht tun.
    Bleibt nichts anderes übrig, als weiter abzuwarten.
    Kuddel.

    @ CMANSON : war wohl nichts mit deiner Vorhersage !!!


    AUS "BUSINESS DAY" vom 14.10.2004


    Rates unchanged


    The South African Reserve Bank's (SARB) Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has decided at the conclusion of a two-day meeting Thursday to leave the repo rate steady at 7.5%.

    This was in line with the consensus view that there would be no change in rates due to surging oil prices.

    "The Monetary Policy Committee has concluded that leaving the repo rate unchanged at 7.55 per annum at this meeting would be consistent with CPIX inflation remaining within the target range in the forecast period.
    "However, the Committee will continue to monitor the various factors which impact on inflation and will accordingly make any decisions based on the inflation outlook going forward," SARB Governor Tito Mboweni said.

    Announcing the decision to leave interest rates unchanged, Mboweni said that the low rate of increase in production prices augered well for inflation going forward.


    Thus the inflation outlook over the longer term was promising.

    "The Bank's forecasts show that CPIX inflation should stay within the boundaries of the inflation target range over the next two years, moving moderately higher over the coming year, but thereafter easing somewhat," Mboweni said.

    He said a number of factors were probably responsible for the favourable inflation outlook.

    "One of the developments that has led to lower recorded inflation has been the decline in inflation expectations.


    "According to the Survey of Inflation Expectations by the Bureau for Economic Research at the University of Stellenbosch commissioned by the South African Reserve Bank, expected CPIX inflation has declined to within the inflation target range for the three years from 2004 to 2006.


    "This is the first time since the inception of the survey in the third quarter of 2002 that CPIX inflation expectations for all three forecast years have fallen within the target range. This is a welcome development indeed.

    "A number of other factors support a low inflation outcome. These include the fiscal prudence applied by government, an improved outlook for food prices (despite the serious drought in some parts of the Western Cape), commitment by the public authorities to contain administered price increases and low inflation, on average, in the rest of the world," he said.

    None of the economists at South Africa's four largest commercial banks had expected any change, saying the possibility of a rate hike was very remote.

    The no change forecast was despite a drop in CPIX inflation (headline inflation excluding mortgage costs) to 3.7% y/y in August from 4.2% y/y in July and 5.0% y/y June after staying at 4.4% y/y for metro and other areas in May, April and March from 4.8% y/y in February 2004.

    The CPIX has been below the mid-point of the inflation target range for six out of the last seven releases prior to June.

    The SARB's inflation target is to keep the y/y rate for CPIX within a range of 3% to 6% and most economists still expect CPIX to stay within range this year.

    Crude oil prices were below $53 per barrel in Asian trade on Wednesday, coming sharply off the record highs seen on Tuesday on concerns about possible disruptions to supply.


    I-Net Bridge


    ----------------------------------------------------------------------
    Kuddel :(

    Aus "BUSINESS DAY" vom 5.10.2004


    Durban Deep may pull plug on JSE listing

    Gold producer Durban Roodepoort Deep (Durban Deep) is considering pulling the plug on its primary listing in SA, chairman Mark Wellesley-Wood said yesterday.
    This is the latest indication of the effect of the strong rand on the South African gold sector, with local producers moving more of their focus offshore.


    The announcement followed last week's revelation that the company wants to change its name to DRDGOLD, a move which would also dilute its links to SA by dropping the names Durban and Roodepoort from its title.


    Wellesley-Wood said only about 5% of the company's shares were held in SA, with 15% in Australia, 20% in Europe and 60% in north America.


    "We don't have any (significant) shareholders here, really," he said. "Increasingly, the bulk of our business is outside SA."


    He said Durban Deep's reporting timetable "is dictated by the US and Australian capital markets, and Johannesburg is becoming less and less relevant".


    Wellesley-Wood said a recent relaxation of rules making it easier for companies listed offshore to have secondary listings in SA was also a factor in the debate around the decision.


    Durban Deep currently has primary listings in SA and Australia, and has secondary listings on the bourses of London, Papua New Guinea and the Nasdaq in New York. The stock is also traded in Brussels, Paris, Berlin and Frankfurt.


    Wellesley-Wood said the choice the company faced was between having just one primary listing in Australia, or primary listings in both Australia and on the Nasdaq.


    "We can't see growth here in SA, where the mines are old and there is very limited opportunity."


    He said he and Durban Deep CE Ian Murray were " constantly on aeroplanes, and as we expand (further offshore), we will be creating more jobs for South African underground mining expertise".


    In another departure from tradition, Durban Deep was to cease quarterly financial reporting, Wellesley-Wood said.


    He said the company was seeking further offshore expansion in its operations, with a "third leg" to complement its existing activities in SA and in Australasia.


    "What is Durban Deep? We are a niche producer, and if you are a niche producer, you have to be focused," he said.


    He said the company's Australasia operations in Papua New Guinea and Fiji had an annual output of 360 000oz of gold at a cost of $250 an ounce.


    "That makes a reasonable business. If they were to be separately listed in Australia, that could be sustainable," he said.


    He said Durban Deep was looking at other countries where the company could mine.


    "We would move there through acquisition," he said, noting that last week the company's shareholders passed a resolution boosting the authorised share capital of the company to fill the acquisition war chest.


    "We are looking to put substantial weight to establish a third leg up to $200m," he said. "If you look at our risk profile, that would produce a better balance."


    Business Day
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Das könnte doch langsam wieder dem Kurs helfen.
    Oder paßt das vorhergehende Bild dazu ??


    Kuddel

    Das Neueste von "ANGLOGOLD" aus BUSINESS DAY" vom 20.9.2004


    AngloGold Ashanti's BEE credits at 20.4%


    By Justin Brown

    World number two gold miner AngloGold Ashanti (ANG) currently has empowerment charter credits of 20.4%, according to its own assessment, the group said at a London investment conference last week.

    AngloGold Ashanti's proposed empowerment credits come from the sale of seven of its Vaal Reefs shafts to African Rainbow Minerals (ARM) in January 1998, the disposal of some of FreeGold's Western Holdings shafts and Welkom gold plant to ARM in June 1998 and the sale of some Free State assets to ARM and Harmony Gold (HAR) joint venture in January 2002.

    "A plan is in place to achieve the 26% target," AngloGold Ashanti said.

    In late July, the group submitted an application for the conversion of old order mining rights to new order mining rights.

    However, the extent of the group's empowerment credits have yet to be adjudicated and confirmed by the Department of Minerals and Energy, which oversees the conversion process.

    Chief director at the Department of Minerals and Energy Jacinto Rocha confirmed that AngloGold Ashanti had lodged an application for the conversion of its old order mining rights to new order mining rights.

    A total of about 50 applications have been received from mining companies for the conversion of their existing mining and prospecting rights to new order mining and prospecting rights, Rocha added.

    On the other hand, the Department of Minerals and Energy had received 400 applications from concerns seeking totally new mining and prospecting rights, Rocha said.

    South Africa's mining charter, agreed to in late 2002, requires the country's mining industry to transfer 15% of its assets to empowerment concerns by May 1, 2009 and 26% by May 1, 2014.

    In terms of the charter, South African mining companies must meet a number of requirements to convert their existing mining and prospecting rights to new order rights as well as to receive totally new rights.

    Outside ownership, the charter's other requirements relate to beneficiation, procurement, employment equity, human resources development, housing and living conditions, mine community and rural development, and
    migrant labour.

    On the issue of beneficiation, AngloGold Ashanti currently has a 25% stake in OroAfrica, South Africa's largest jewellery manufacturer.

    The mining charter does not set specific targets for procurement, but the group has set itself the target of having empowerment concerns procure 25% of the value of its purchases of consumables, mine site services and capital expenditure by 2007 and 42% by 2012.

    In AngloGold Ashanti's 2003 financial year, it procured 10.85% of the value of its consumable purchases from empowerment concerns.

    On employment equity, the group has established an employment equity committee and an employment equity plan is in place.

    At the end of December 2003, 31% of employees from C upper band and above, on the Paterson job grading scale, were designated individuals per the charter's requirements, while 24% of employees from D band and above were designated individuals.

    Paterson job scale grades jobs from A to F, with A level being the lowest level job positions and F being the top management positions.

    The charter requires 40% of management to be designated individuals by May 2009 and 10% of the mining workforce to be women.

    About 6% of AngloGold Ashanti's workforce are women and a plan is in place to increase the number of women in all areas of operations, the group said.

    On human resources development, AngloGold Ashanti said it had been providing adult education programs for 10 years and to date at least 30,000 employees have gone through various levels of adult education.

    Currently, about 80% of AngloGold Ashanti's bursary holders are designated individuals and some 60% of management trainees are designated individuals.

    The charter requires that mining companies establish measures for improving the standard of housing, conversion of high-density accommodation to family units and promoting home ownership for mine employees.

    AngloGold Ashanti said it was currently focused on upgrading its existing accommodation at its mines and in 2003 spent 21 million rand on upgrading high-density mine accommodation.

    "Employees have been offered alternative accommodation but uptake is low.
    An independent survey has been launched to establish employee preferences," AngloGold Ashanti said.

    The charter also requires that mining companies establish measures to improve nutrition for mine employees.

    "The nutrition standards of AngloGold Ashanti's high-density accommodation are in line with standards set by the United Nations World Health Organisation and the Chamber of Mines Research Organisation," AngloGold Ashanti said.

    Regarding mine community and rural development, AngloGold said it was involved in these activities through its operational work and through the AngloGold chairman's fund.

    "AngloGold Ashanti has been involved for many years in projects that aim to provide safe drinking water, healthcare, sanitation and schooling within mining communities and major labour-sending areas," the group said.


    Turning to migrant labour, AngloGold Ashanti said it did not discriminate against employees of foreign countries.

    AngloGold Ashanti was formed in late April 2004 through merger of South Africa's AngloGold and Ghana's Ashanti Goldfields.

    The group has 25 gold operations in 11 countries and annual gold output of over six million troy ounces.

    I-Net Bridge

    Aus "WELT AM SONNTAG" vom 19.9.2004

    Zuversicht für Aktien wächst.
    Aktuelle Finanzumfrage zeigt: Gold als Anlage verliert an Bedeutung, Börsen haben wieder Potenzial.


    von Frank Stocker


    Der Ölpreis hat seine Höchststände verlassen. Im Gleichschritt dazu haben die Aktienmärkte in den vergangenen vier Wochen wieder deutlich zugelegt und der Optimismus der Anleger ist gestiegen - sowohl unter den privaten Investoren als auch unter den professionellen Anlegern.


    Das zeigt auch die aktuelle Umfrage der "Welt am Sonntag" und der Münchner Forschungsgruppe Südprojekt unter den Anlage-Experten aus 15 Banken. Das wichtigste Ergebnis: Sie haben ihre Erwartungen für die Börsen erneut ein wenig angehoben. Parallel zur gestiegenen Zuversicht hat aber Gold, das Zufluchtsinvestment in unruhigen Zeiten, für sie an Bedeutung verloren.


    Bei der Umfrage des vergangenen Monats hatten die Volkswirte und Analysten schon prophezeit, dass die damalige Schwächephase der Aktienkurse in Kürze vorbei sein werde und sie sagten einen deutlichen Anstieg des Dax bis Ende September auf durchschnittlich 3827 Punkte voraus. Diese Marke hat der Index inzwischen sogar schon übertroffen.



    Folglich erwarten die Experten nun für die nächsten vier Wochen eine weitere Verbesserung. Im Schnitt glauben sie sogar, dass der Dax demnächst die Marke von 4000 Zählern wieder nachhaltig überspringen wird. Die Optimisten betrachten sogar 4150 Punkte als möglich und selbst die größten Pessimisten glauben nicht, dass der deutsche Leitindex noch einmal unter 350 Zähler fällt.


    Die Experten lassen sich auch nicht von den jüngsten Äußerungen einiger Wirtschaftsforscher beirren, die für das kommende Jahr schon wieder eine nachlassende Konjunktur erwarten. "Wir sind wesentlich optimistischer", sagt Michael Schubert von der Commerzbank. "Damit es wirklich zu einer Abschwächung kommt, müsste der Ölpreis wieder deutlich höher steigen."


    Doch genau hier liegt das größte Risiko für Wirtschaft und Aktienmärkte. Zwar ist die Marke von 50 Dollar für das Barrel am Terminmarkt wieder in weite Ferne gerückt. Dennoch bewegt sich der Preis für Rohöl immer noch über 40 Dollar und damit um rund zehn Dollar höher als noch vor Jahresfrist. "Wenn der Preis nicht bald unter 40 Dollar fällt, kann das durchaus wirtschaftliche Bremsspuren hinterlassen", glaubt Jürgen Michels von der Citigroup.


    Doch derzeit sieht es nicht danach aus, dass dieser Wert wieder unterschritten wird. Noch vor Monatsfrist hatten zwar alle Experten einhellig bekundet, dass im gegenwärtigen Preisniveau ein hoher Anteil Spekulation enthalten sei. Der "echte" Preis wurde auf rund 35 Dollar beziffert. Doch auch nach dem Ende der Spekulationswelle ist ein solches Preisniveau noch in weiter Ferne, sodass viele Experten mittlerweile darüber nachdenken, ob der spekulative Anteil nicht wesentlich niedriger ist als zuvor gedacht.


    "Wenn dem so ist, dann müssten tatsächlich alle Prognosen auf den Prüfstand", sagt Commerzbank-Volkswirt Schubert. Einerseits müssten dann die Wachstumsprognosen etwas nach unten revidiert werden, viel stärker müssten aber die Inflationsvorhersagen nach oben korrigiert werden.


    Dies wiederum hätte Konsequenzen für die Notenbanken - allerdings in höchst unterschiedlicher Weise. Die amerikanische Zentralbank hat die Vorgabe, die Konjunktur zu beleben. Sollte das Wachstum unter einem höheren Ölpreis leiden, müsste sie also mit Zinssenkungen, mindestens aber mit einem Stopp des Zinserhöhungszyklus antworten.


    Für die Europäische Zentralbank ist im Gegensatz dazu die Preisstabilität das oberste Ziel. Sollten die Preise noch schneller steigen, müsste sie mit höheren Zinsen reagieren. Dies hat EZB-Chefvolkswirt Otmar Issing auch bereits klar gemacht, als er in der vergangenen Woche sagte, dass er die erhöhte Teuerung "mit Besorgnis" betrachte.


    Dies sind bislang nur theoretische Erwägungen. "Wir glauben nicht, dass die Europäische Zentralbank vor dem ersten Quartal kommenden Jahres aktiv wird", sagt Jürgen Michels. "Wir warnen auch vor einer Überinterpretation der aktuellen Äußerungen."


    Vielmehr glaubt er, dass die Eurozone in den kommenden Monaten besser abschneidet als die USA. "In den USA haben einige Branchen den Gipfel des Gewinnzyklus bereits wieder überschritten", so Michels. Dort seien daher keine starken Kursanstiege mehr zu erwarten. Europa hinke hingegen der Entwicklung noch hinterher und könne noch für Überraschungen sorgen.


    Andererseits ist kaum zu erwarten, dass der Dax den Dow Jones längerfristig abhängt. Daher sehen die Prognosen der Experten bei der Umfrage für beide Indices ungefähr die gleiche Entwicklung voraus. Innerhalb der kommenden sechs Monate erwarten sie eine Kurssteigerung von durchschnittlich rund sieben Prozent bei beiden Indices.


    Doch Experten stellen ihre Vorhersagen unter die Prämisse, dass der Ölpreis nicht wieder einen Strich durch die Rechnung macht und die Geopolitik einigermaßen stabil bleibt. Sie sehen im Moment daher kein großes Potenzial für Gold. Der Preis für die Feinunze Gold dürfte nach ihrer Einschätzung auf dem gegenwärtigen Niveau verharren und selbst auf Sechs-Monats-Sicht nur unwesentlich anziehen. Terroranschläge oder neue Rekorde am Rohölmarkt könnten dieses Bild jedoch auch sehr schnell umkehren und zu einer neuerlichen Flucht ins Gold führen.


    Artikel erschienen am 19. September 2004


    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Kuddel

    Aus "WELT AM SONNTAG" vom 19.9.2004

    Zuversicht für Aktien wächst.
    Aktuelle Finanzumfrage zeigt: Gold als Anlage verliert an Bedeutung, Börsen haben wieder Potenzial.


    von Frank Stocker


    Der Ölpreis hat seine Höchststände verlassen. Im Gleichschritt dazu haben die Aktienmärkte in den vergangenen vier Wochen wieder deutlich zugelegt und der Optimismus der Anleger ist gestiegen - sowohl unter den privaten Investoren als auch unter den professionellen Anlegern.


    Das zeigt auch die aktuelle Umfrage der "Welt am Sonntag" und der Münchner Forschungsgruppe Südprojekt unter den Anlage-Experten aus 15 Banken. Das wichtigste Ergebnis: Sie haben ihre Erwartungen für die Börsen erneut ein wenig angehoben. Parallel zur gestiegenen Zuversicht hat aber Gold, das Zufluchtsinvestment in unruhigen Zeiten, für sie an Bedeutung verloren.


    Bei der Umfrage des vergangenen Monats hatten die Volkswirte und Analysten schon prophezeit, dass die damalige Schwächephase der Aktienkurse in Kürze vorbei sein werde und sie sagten einen deutlichen Anstieg des Dax bis Ende September auf durchschnittlich 3827 Punkte voraus. Diese Marke hat der Index inzwischen sogar schon übertroffen.



    Folglich erwarten die Experten nun für die nächsten vier Wochen eine weitere Verbesserung. Im Schnitt glauben sie sogar, dass der Dax demnächst die Marke von 4000 Zählern wieder nachhaltig überspringen wird. Die Optimisten betrachten sogar 4150 Punkte als möglich und selbst die größten Pessimisten glauben nicht, dass der deutsche Leitindex noch einmal unter 350 Zähler fällt.


    Die Experten lassen sich auch nicht von den jüngsten Äußerungen einiger Wirtschaftsforscher beirren, die für das kommende Jahr schon wieder eine nachlassende Konjunktur erwarten. "Wir sind wesentlich optimistischer", sagt Michael Schubert von der Commerzbank. "Damit es wirklich zu einer Abschwächung kommt, müsste der Ölpreis wieder deutlich höher steigen."


    Doch genau hier liegt das größte Risiko für Wirtschaft und Aktienmärkte. Zwar ist die Marke von 50 Dollar für das Barrel am Terminmarkt wieder in weite Ferne gerückt. Dennoch bewegt sich der Preis für Rohöl immer noch über 40 Dollar und damit um rund zehn Dollar höher als noch vor Jahresfrist. "Wenn der Preis nicht bald unter 40 Dollar fällt, kann das durchaus wirtschaftliche Bremsspuren hinterlassen", glaubt Jürgen Michels von der Citigroup.


    Doch derzeit sieht es nicht danach aus, dass dieser Wert wieder unterschritten wird. Noch vor Monatsfrist hatten zwar alle Experten einhellig bekundet, dass im gegenwärtigen Preisniveau ein hoher Anteil Spekulation enthalten sei. Der "echte" Preis wurde auf rund 35 Dollar beziffert. Doch auch nach dem Ende der Spekulationswelle ist ein solches Preisniveau noch in weiter Ferne, sodass viele Experten mittlerweile darüber nachdenken, ob der spekulative Anteil nicht wesentlich niedriger ist als zuvor gedacht.


    "Wenn dem so ist, dann müssten tatsächlich alle Prognosen auf den Prüfstand", sagt Commerzbank-Volkswirt Schubert. Einerseits müssten dann die Wachstumsprognosen etwas nach unten revidiert werden, viel stärker müssten aber die Inflationsvorhersagen nach oben korrigiert werden.


    Dies wiederum hätte Konsequenzen für die Notenbanken - allerdings in höchst unterschiedlicher Weise. Die amerikanische Zentralbank hat die Vorgabe, die Konjunktur zu beleben. Sollte das Wachstum unter einem höheren Ölpreis leiden, müsste sie also mit Zinssenkungen, mindestens aber mit einem Stopp des Zinserhöhungszyklus antworten.


    Für die Europäische Zentralbank ist im Gegensatz dazu die Preisstabilität das oberste Ziel. Sollten die Preise noch schneller steigen, müsste sie mit höheren Zinsen reagieren. Dies hat EZB-Chefvolkswirt Otmar Issing auch bereits klar gemacht, als er in der vergangenen Woche sagte, dass er die erhöhte Teuerung "mit Besorgnis" betrachte.


    Dies sind bislang nur theoretische Erwägungen. "Wir glauben nicht, dass die Europäische Zentralbank vor dem ersten Quartal kommenden Jahres aktiv wird", sagt Jürgen Michels. "Wir warnen auch vor einer Überinterpretation der aktuellen Äußerungen."


    Vielmehr glaubt er, dass die Eurozone in den kommenden Monaten besser abschneidet als die USA. "In den USA haben einige Branchen den Gipfel des Gewinnzyklus bereits wieder überschritten", so Michels. Dort seien daher keine starken Kursanstiege mehr zu erwarten. Europa hinke hingegen der Entwicklung noch hinterher und könne noch für Überraschungen sorgen.


    Andererseits ist kaum zu erwarten, dass der Dax den Dow Jones längerfristig abhängt. Daher sehen die Prognosen der Experten bei der Umfrage für beide Indices ungefähr die gleiche Entwicklung voraus. Innerhalb der kommenden sechs Monate erwarten sie eine Kurssteigerung von durchschnittlich rund sieben Prozent bei beiden Indices.


    Doch Experten stellen ihre Vorhersagen unter die Prämisse, dass der Ölpreis nicht wieder einen Strich durch die Rechnung macht und die Geopolitik einigermaßen stabil bleibt. Sie sehen im Moment daher kein großes Potenzial für Gold. Der Preis für die Feinunze Gold dürfte nach ihrer Einschätzung auf dem gegenwärtigen Niveau verharren und selbst auf Sechs-Monats-Sicht nur unwesentlich anziehen. Terroranschläge oder neue Rekorde am Rohölmarkt könnten dieses Bild jedoch auch sehr schnell umkehren und zu einer neuerlichen Flucht ins Gold führen.


    Artikel erschienen am 19. September 2004


    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Kuddel

    Aus "BUSINESS DAY" vom 14.9.2004



    Mineworkers gear up for Harmony strike

    By Thabang Mokopanele

    The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) in the Free State has resolved to embark on strike action on October 6 against gold miner Harmony Gold's (HAR) intention to retrench over 4,000 workers and close about four shafts.

    The trade union said workers in Bambanani mine have been served with notices for compulsory retrenchment and, at the same time, the company served the union with notices to close the following mines: Welkom 1, Eland, M3 and Masimong.

    "We read this as Harmony's clarion call to us to take action. These notices represent mischievous and dishonest behaviour by Harmony's management as they are issued regardless of the standing agreement between the company and the union. Consequently, we have seen it fit to give Harmony our intention to strike" NUM Free State chairperson Tanki Malefane stated.
    Malefane added that the notices by Harmony are a smack in the union's face in that the union has an agreement to save jobs and to move workers from declining shafts to growth points.

    He said that Harmony's intention to close the M3 and Masimong shafts because they were not on continuous operations (CONOPS) was, at best, very silly.


    The trade union argued that in these shafts, it did not make sense to agree to CONOPS when it is evident that the shafts that have agreed to it are being closed and workers are losing jobs.

    "Loss of jobs and closure of shafts is something contrary to why we agreed to CONOPS in the first place.

    "The NUM indicated that it is committed to seeing to it that the agreement is implemented as a way of saving jobs.


    "We also said, should the management act in a callous manner, we are also committed to demonstrate that we will not allow them to walk all over us.


    "It is up to Harmony now to show that they are serious about what they agreed to a few months ago," NUM General Secretary Gwede Mantashe noted.

    The regional office of the union in the Free State served Harmony with a notice to strike on September 9, with an intention to embark on the action on October 6.

    The trade union added that the strike will affect all Harmony Free State operations, and not only those earmarked for closure and retrenchments.

    The union has committed to strike for as long as the notices are in effect.

    "The only way of reversing our decision is when the company withdraws all of them and puts into place, in totality, the agreement we have with them."

    I-Net Bridge
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Nun kommt die 'Retourkutsche' der Gewerkschaft.
    Kuddel.

    Aus "BUSINESS DAY" vom 14.9.2004



    More job cuts likely at Harmony mines


    Harmony's (HAR) mines in the Free State are facing a new wave of retrenchments, according to the union Solidarity.
    The union said that in terms of an Article 189 notice sent to it and the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) the gold mining group plans to lay off as many as 4,110 workers during the coming month.

    "Workers at the Welkom 1 Mine near Welkom encountered locked gates today after the Harmony management had closed the mine overnight 'until further notice'. It appears that 540 workers have lost their jobs after Harmony put them on compulsory retrenchment," Solidarity said in a statement.

    "Last week Harmony sent a notice to Solidarity in which the trade union was informed that the Welkom 1 Mine was to be shut down and that the workers were subject to compulsory retrenchment," the union said.


    It added: "Legally the employer is compelled to give 30 days' notice of such a step to the trade unions, during which period the employer is obliged by law to consult with the trade unions. In the case of Welkom 1 the mine was summarily closed.

    "According to the letter that Solidarity received from Harmony, most of the 540 workers are to be retrenched in terms of the original article 189(3) notice.


    "These compulsory dismissals are in breach of an agreement that was concluded between Harmony and the trade unions on 16 July. In terms of this agreement all Harmony's mines are to change to continuous operations (CONOPS) and workers at mines that are shut down are to be deployed at other Harmony mines or retrained," Solidarity stated

    The union charged that Harmony had also issued an Article 189 notice stating its intention to retrench 2,937 workers out of a total labour force of 5,307 at the Bambanani Mine in Welkom.

    "According to the notice, 2 937 workers at Bambanani are 'surplus and redundant'. The Elands Mine in Welkom is also to be partially shut down. At this mine 633 workers out of a possible 1,233 are to be retrenched in terms of the notice."


    I-Net Bridge
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Harmony ist noch nicht "über'n Berg". Der Rand ist noch immer zu stark, auch wenn er schon in den letzten Wochen um rd. 10 % gefallen ist. Hier hilft nur ein höherer Goldpreis oder ein schwächerer Rand - am besten beides! Warten wir's ab.
    Kuddel.