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A pedestrian looks at his phone as he walks past a logo for Australia's Westpac Banking Corp located outside a branch in central Sydney, Australia, November 5, 2018. REUTERS/David Gray/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSYDNEY, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Westpac Banking Corp (WBC.AX), Australia's third largest bank by market capitalisation, said on Monday it would raise A$750 million ($488.1 million) in an Additional Tier 1 (AT1) capital transaction. The AT1 bonds are used by banks to stabilise cashflow in periods of stress, according to APRA. Under that deal, holders of Credit Suisse AT1 bonds received nothing, while shareholders, who usually rank below bondholders in terms of who gets paid when a bank or company collapses, received $3.23 billion. ($1 = 1.5366 Australian dollars)Reporting by Scott Murdoch in Sydney; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman and Stephen CoatesOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: David Gray, Stephen Jones, Scott Murdoch, Muralikumar Anantharaman, Stephen Coates Organizations: Australia's Westpac Banking Corp, REUTERS, Rights, Westpac Banking Corp, Westpac, prudential, Credit Suisse, APRA, Credit Suisse AT1s, Commonwealth Bank, Credit, Thomson Locations: Sydney, Australia

☆ US appeals court ruling strikes at core of landmark voting rights law
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( Joseph Ax | Companies Need To Integrate Climate Reporting Across Functions To Comply With California S New Law | Henry Engler | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The ruling, which will likely be appealed, could set up the next voting rights battle at the U.S. Supreme Court. The vast majority of Voting Rights Act cases are filed by private parties. For instance, the case that prompted the Supreme Court earlier this year to strike down Alabama's congressional map was originally filed by a coalition of civil rights groups. In a dissent, Chief Judge Lavenski Smith, also a Bush appointee, said he would have followed existing precedent unless Congress or the Supreme Court said otherwise. Sophia Lin Lakin, the director of the American Civil Liberties Union's voting rights project and a lawyer for the plaintiffs, in a statement called the ruling a "travesty for democracy."

Persons: Shannon Stapleton, District Judge Lee Rudofsky, Donald Trump, David Stras, Raymond Gruender, George W, Bush, Judge Lavenski Smith, Sophia Lin Lakin, Joseph Ax, David Gregorio, Mark Porter Organizations: REUTERS, Firms American Civil Liberties, ., U.S, Supreme, District, Appeals, Trump, Circuit, Republican, American Civil Liberties, Thomson Locations: Queens, New York City, U.S, Arkansas

☆ BHP train drivers to start 'restrained' industrial action on Friday
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BHP's iron ore operations include four processing hubs and five mines that are linked by more than 1,000 km (621 miles) of rail and port facilities. BHP said that the proposed action would present logistical challenges but that it had put in place arrangements to mitigate the impact. Worries about a strike had lent support to iron ore prices, which are trading at the highest levels since February. "Concerns over disruptions on the supply side due to the looming strike at BHP in Australia contributed to higher iron ore prices today," said Pei Hao, a Shanghai-based analyst at international brokerage FIS. Drivers received an offer from BHP last Wednesday that did not meet their expectations around rostering, arbitration and camp standards, Busson added.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Greg Busson, Busson, Pei Hao, BHP, Melanie Burton, Amy Lv, Gerry Doyle Organizations: BHP, REUTERS, Rights MELBOURNE, Reuters, Monday, Mining, Energy Union WA, Drivers, Thomson Locations: WA, Australia, Shanghai, rostering, Rio Tinto's, Beijing

☆ Indian shares set for muted opening; TCS, Cipla in focus
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( Sethuraman N R | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The new logo of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) building is seen in Mumbai, India, July 12, 2023. REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBANGALORE, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Indian shares are set to open on a slightly muted note on Monday, with a focus on the global interest rate outlook after a more than 3% rally so far this month. The NSE Nifty 50 index (.NSEI) gained 1.58% last week, its best in two months, while the Sensex rose 1.37%. "Market is expected to continue its upward movement driven, by robust macro data and diminishing global concerns," SMC Global Securities said in a note. In global markets, MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan (.MIAPJ0000PUS) edged up 0.3%, with investors awaiting minutes of the Fed's last meeting.

Persons: Francis Mascarenhas, Nifty, Sohini Goswami Organizations: Bombay Stock Exchange, REUTERS, Rights, NSE, U.S . Federal, SMC Global Securities, India's Tata Consultancy Services, United, United States Food, Drug Administration, CFM Mozambique, General Tax Authority, Sethuraman NR, Thomson Locations: Mumbai, India, Rights BANGALORE, Asia, Pacific, Japan, United States, Qatar, Bengaluru

Fortescue approved investments in the U.S. hydrogen hub in Phoenix, Arizona; the Gladstone 50 megawatt green hydrogen project in Queensland, Australia; and the Christmas Creek green iron trial commercial plant in Western Australia. About $550 million will be used for developing an electrolyser and liquefaction facility in Phoenix, where first production of liquid green hydrogen is targeted for 2026. I think some of the market's concerns will be allayed because the capital investment required is pretty minimal in the scheme of things." Under a plan to ramp up its green energy business, Fortescue said in August it would stop allocating 10% of its net profit to that unit. Fortescue shares were up 1% on Tuesday in a strong market for iron ore miners, with peers BHP (BHP.AX) and Rio Tinto (RIO.AX) up 1.5% and 2% respectively.

Persons: Melanie Burton, Australia's Fortescue, Fortescue, David Coates, BHP, Himanshi, Richard Chang, Clarence Fernandez Organizations: Fortescue Metals Group, REUTERS, Arizona, MELBOURNE, Gladstone, Fortescue Energy, Fortescue, Rio Tinto, Thomson Locations: Pilbara, Port Hedland, Western Australia, U.S, Phoenix , Arizona, Queensland, Australia, Phoenix, Brazil, Kenya, Norway, BellPotter, Sydney, Michigan, New York, Rio, Bengaluru

☆ Australian bourse operator partners with TCS for long due trading software overhaul
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-19 | by ( Himanshi Akhand | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

A board displaying stock prices is adorned with the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) logo in central Sydney, Australia, February 13, 2018. REUTERS/David Gray/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNov 20 (Reuters) - Australian bourse operator ASX Ltd (ASX.AX) said on Monday it entered a deal with TATA Consultancy Services (TCS) <TCS.NS> to design and replace its trading, clearing and settlement system, after months of backlash since pulling a blockchain-based overhaul of the system last year. The estimated cost for the first release of the Clearing House Electronic Subregister System (CHESS) project is between A$105 million ($68.33 million) and A$125 million, to be incurred over multiple years, ASX said. ASX's initial attempt to overhaul CHESS earned rebuke from the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) and Reserve Bank of Australia, with the regulators demanding more thorough reporting on plans to update the 30-year-old software. ($1 = 1.5366 Australian dollars)Reporting by Himanshi Akhand in Bengaluru Editing by Chris Reese and Diane CraftOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: David Gray, Joe Longo, Helen Lofthouse, Himanshi, Chris Reese, Diane Craft Organizations: Australian Securities Exchange, REUTERS, TATA Consultancy Services, Australian Securities and Investments Commission, Reserve Bank of Australia, Accenture, TCS, Thomson Locations: Sydney, Australia, Australian, Bengaluru

A board displaying stock prices is adorned with the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) logo in central Sydney, Australia, February 13, 2018. That will, however, take time, with the overhaul now expected to finish in 2029, some 13 years after it began. It also prompted the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) to open an investigation into the exchange's disclosures about the project. ASX said it expected the first stage of the new project, clearing software, to cost between A$105 million and A$125 million with delivery around 2026. The cost and timing of the settlement and other software will be decided in 2024.

Persons: David Gray, Tim Whiteley, Joe Longo, Longo, Byron Kaye, Himanshi, Edwina Gibbs Organizations: Australian Securities Exchange, REUTERS, Tata Consultancy Services, New, Australian Securities and Investments Commission, Thomson Locations: Sydney, Australia, India, Finland, Canada, New York, Bengaluru

Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko gives an update on the death and investigation of Pro-Israeli supporter Paul Kessler who died at a rally on November 5, 2023, Thousand Oaks, California, U.S, November 17, 2023. REUTERS/Jorge Garcia Acquire Licensing RightsTHOUSAND OAKS, California, Nov 17 (Reuters) - A California man pleaded not guilty to manslaughter and battery charges on Friday in the death of a Jewish man who fell to the ground and hit his head during an altercation between pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian demonstrators this month. Alnaji pleaded not guilty to the charges and remained jailed on a $50,000 bond, the prosecutor's office said. Neither murder nor voluntary manslaughter charges were filed because prosecutors found no evidence of malice aforethought or intent to kill, the DA said. Reporting by Jorge Garcia in Thousand Oaks, California; Additional reporting by Joseph Ax in New York and Brad Brooks in Longmont, Colorado; Writing and additional reporting by Steve Gorman in Los Angeles; Editing by Kim Coghill and William MallardOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Erik Nasarenko, Paul Kessler, Jorge Garcia, Loay Alnaji, Alnaji, Kessler, Nasarenko, Jim Fryhoff, Witnesses, Imam Abdul, Latif Sackor, Sackor, Joseph Ax, Brad Brooks, Steve Gorman, Kim Coghill, William Mallard Organizations: Pro, REUTERS, Israel, Court, Palestinian, Hamas, . Police, Penn, Times, Police, Amtrak, Thomson Locations: Ventura County, Oaks , California, U.S, California, Moorpark , California, Los Angeles, Rhode Island, New York City, Manhattan, Oaks, Israel, Gaza, Rhode, Providence, Thousand Oaks , California, New York, Longmont , Colorado

☆ Blackstone, Macquarie deny ASPI sale report, pledge commitment
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Signage is seen outside the Blackstone Group headquarters in New York City, U.S., January 18, 2023. REUTERS/Jeenah Moon/File Photo/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsMILAN, Nov 17 (Reuters) - Blackstone and Macquarie on Friday dismissed as "completely false" an Italian newspaper report about possible ownership changes at Autostrade per l'Italia (ASPI), pledging their commitment as investors in the motorway operator. Following the 2022 deal, ASPI is controlled by state-lender CDP with funds Blackstone (BX.N) and Australia's Macquarie (MQG.AX). Under JPMorgan's plan ASTM would transfer its assets to ASPI whose shareholders would be CDP, Gavio group and Blackstone. In denying the report, Macquarie said it was committed to the "ongoing delivery of ASPI's multi-billion euro investment programme".

Persons: JP Morgan, Italy's, ASPI, Australia's Macquarie, Macquarie, Blackstone, Matteo Salvini, Elisa Anzolin, Giuseppe Fonte, Valentina Za Organizations: Blackstone Group, REUTERS, Blackstone, La Stampa, ASTM, Benetton, Shareholders, Reuters, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, Macquarie, Ardian, Milan, Rome

☆ Rio Tinto to pay $28 million fine to settle US SEC fraud case
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-17 | by ( Jonathan Stempel | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The Rio Tinto logo is displayed above the global mining group's booth at the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) annual conference in Toronto, Ontario, Canada March 7, 2023. Former chief executive Tom Albanese agreed to pay a $50,000 civil fine to settle related SEC claims. Neither he nor Rio Tinto admitted wrongdoing. Rio Tinto confirmed the settlement but declined additional comment. The case is SEC v Rio Tinto Plc et al, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No.

Persons: Chris Helgren, Analisa Torres, Rio, Tom Albanese, Rio Tinto, James Loonam, Guy Elliott, Torres, Riversdale, Albanese, Theodore Wells, Wells, Jonathan Stempel, Bill Berkrot, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: Rio Tinto, Developers Association of Canada, REUTERS, U.S . Securities, Exchange Commission, U.S, District, SEC, Rio Tinto Coal, Tinto, Court, Southern District of, Thomson Locations: Rio, Toronto , Ontario, Canada, U.S, Mozambique, Manhattan, Rio Tinto, Rio Tinto Coal Mozambique, Southern District, Southern District of New York, New York

☆ Western lithium, graphite miners boost prices for ESG-friendly supply
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-17 | by ( Ernest Scheyder | Thomson Reuters | Ernest Scheyder Is An Award-Winning Senior Correspondent Covering The Green Energy Transition | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

REUTERS/Ivan Alvarado/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLOS ANGELES, Nov 17 (Reuters) - Western lithium and graphite miners have started charging the electric vehicle (EV) supply chain higher prices for their material, meeting demand for environmentally-friendly and consistent supply that is not linked to China. Lithium, the lightest metal, is used to make a battery's positively charged cathode and prized for its ability to store energy. Miners say the surcharges make investors more comfortable financing new projects, especially as Chinese rivals have been known to sell metals below prevailing market rates. Brazil's Sigma Lithium (SGML.V) has already begun selling its production at prices it says reflects its sustainability. The surcharge talk comes despite recent plunges in a range of lithium prices.

Persons: Ivan Alvarado, Patrice Boulanger, Shaun Verner, Amanda Hall, surcharges, Hugues Jacquemin, Ernest Scheyder, David Gregorio Our Organizations: REUTERS, Washington, China, EV, Panasonic Energy, Miners, Syrah Resources, Department of Energy, Tesla, ESG, Summit, Thomson Locations: Antofagasta region, Chile, China, Los Angeles, Brussels, Beijing, North America, United States, Louisiana, North, South America, Quebec

The logo of Sumitomo Metal Mining Co is pictured at the company's headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, September 13, 2018. REUTERS/Ritsuko Shimizu/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsTOKYO, Nov 16 (Reuters) - Japan's Sumitomo Metal Mining (5713.T) is considering producing cathode battery materials in the United States among other options as it looks to expand output to meet demand from electric vehicles, an executive said on Thursday. Sumitomo Metal plans to bolster its annual output capacity to 120,000 tons by March 2028 and 180,000 tons by March 2031. The consortium consists of Sumitomo Metal, Mitsubishi (8058.T) and Mitsui (8031.T). Sumitomo Metal is targeting to boost annual nickel output capacity to 150,000 tons in a long-term from 82,000 tons now.

Persons: Ritsuko Shimizu, Katsuya Tanaka, ARL.AX, Masaru Takebayashi, Yuka Obayashi, David Evans Organizations: Sumitomo Metal Mining, REUTERS, Rights, Sumitomo Metal, Panasonic, U.S, Kalgoorlie Nickel, Mitsubishi, Mitsui, Thomson Locations: Tokyo, Japan, United States, Niihama, Pomalaa, Kalgoorlie, Western Australia

☆ Global dividends slide in Q3 as miners drag
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MILAN, Nov 15 (Reuters) - Global dividends fell 0.9% to $421.9 billion in the third quarter due to lower special dividends and a small number of corporations making large cuts to investor remuneration, a report showed on Wednesday. Janus said total dividends were slightly better than expected in the quarter despite lower one-off special payouts and exchange rate effects. "Special dividends have decreased, reflecting less M&A activity and the disappearance of windfall profits in sectors like mining," he added. The largest cuts to payouts were made by Brazilian oil group Petrobras (PETR4.SA) and Australian miner BHP (BHP.AX). More than half of mining companies reduced their payouts while 89% of companies overall raised their dividends or held them during the period, the report said.

Persons: Janus Henderson, Janus, Ben Lofthouse, Banks, Danilo Masoni, Elaine Hardcastle Organizations: MILAN, Petrobras, PETR4, BHP, Chemicals, China Construction Bank Corp, China Mobile, HK, Thomson Locations: Brazil, Taiwan, Czech, Asia, PetroChina, Europe

☆ As Aussie magnates gatecrash lithium deals, bankers get creative
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( Melanie Burton | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

In taking the stakes, Hancock has underscored its expertise in building mining projects, while Mineral Resources has said it wants to be part of projects that will sustain its growth for decades. Hancock and Mineral Resources declined to make additional comments. As well as Liontown, Core Lithium (CXO.AX), Leo Lithium (LLL.AX) Latin Resources (LRS.AX) Patriot Metals , Chalice (CHN.AX), Centaurus (CTM.AX) and Rex Minerals (RXM.AX) have all been cited by brokers as buyout prospects. TWO-PRONGED SOLUTIONTheir deep pockets, risk appetite and Australia's competition laws means mining magnates have a home advantage against listed companies, industry sources say. One example that bankers offered in the case of SQM's bid for Azure was a two-pronged solution to erode any interloper advantage.

Persons: Gina Rinehart, Roy Hill's, Hancock, Chris Ellison, Rinehart's Hancock, Marc Upcroft, you've, Leo Lithium, Richard Lustig, Baker McKenzie, Melanie Burton, Christian Schmollinger Organizations: REUTERS, MELBOURNE, Mineral Resources, Australia's, PwC, Rex Minerals, Thomson Locations: Port Hedland, Australia, Australia's Liontown, Albemarle, Hancock, Melbourne

☆ US House: Court fights could tip control in 2024
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( Joseph Ax | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

The state's highest court, the Court of Appeals, will hear arguments this week over whether to order a new map for 2024, as Democrats have asked, or to maintain the current map, as Republicans have argued. The new map was made possible by the state Supreme Court, after two conservative judges won election in 2022. The court's previous Democratic majority had thrown out a Republican map as an illegal gerrymander. UTAH: DEMOCRATS COULD GAIN ONE SEATThe state Supreme Court is weighing whether a Republican-drawn map that divided Democratic-leaning Salt Lake County into four districts violated the state constitution. The Republican state party has appealed.

Persons: Shannon Stapleton, Ron DeSantis, Al Lawson, Steve Jones, Brian Kemp, Jim Cooper, Joseph Ax, Jason Lange, Scott Malone, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: REUTERS, U.S . House, Representatives, Census, Democrats, Democratic, House, SEAT, Republican, Black Democrat, District, Black, U.S, Supreme, NORTH CAROLINA, REPUBLICANS, SOUTH CAROLINA, South, voters, NEW, SEAT Republicans, SEAT Civil, U.S . Department of Justice, Thomson Locations: Queens, New York City, U.S, Alabama, New York, FLORIDA, Florida, Black, GEORGIA, LOUISIANA, ALABAMA, UTAH, Salt Lake County, NEW MEXICO, TENNESSEE, Nashville's, TEXAS

☆ As Exxon eyes lithium, crucial decision looms on filtration technology
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( Ernest Scheyder | Thomson Reuters | Ernest Scheyder Is An Award-Winning Senior Correspondent Covering The Green Energy Transition | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Choosing which DLE technology to license will be a crucial decision upon which Exxon's production of the battery metal will rely. The company has held talks with a range of DLE technology providers, including International Battery Metals (IBAT.CD) and privately held EnergySource Minerals. "We haven't chosen a (DLE) company yet. Because it not yet chosen a DLE technology, Exxon also has not yet forecast how much lithium it ultimately aims to produce. Exxon is also studying where else in the world it could produce lithium, Howarth said.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Patrick Howarth, Howarth, we'll, Ernest Scheyder, David Gregorio Our Organizations: Exxon Mobil, REUTERS, Reuters, Rio Tinto, International Battery Metals, EnergySource, Exxon, Tetra Technologies, Thomson Locations: ., Arkansas, Sunresin, Rio, Los Angeles

☆ Australia's CBA Q1 profit flat as competition in home loan market intensifies
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-13 | by ( Himanshi Akhand | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Even though rate hikes since last year have boosted interest incomes and margins at Australian banks, rising cost of repayments has intensified competition in the home loan market, capping profit margins and hindering credit growth. Australia's biggest lender said cash net profit after tax was A$2.50 billion ($1.59 billion) for the quarter ended Sept. 30, same as the year earlier. CBA dominates Australia's A$2 trillion mortgage industry, which benefited from a property boom through COVID-19 restrictions. That had prompted Australia's "Big Four" banks to start offering cash payments for mortgage refinancing to lure borrowers. CBA's rivals National Australia Bank (NAB.AX), Westpac (WBC.AX) and ANZ Group (ANZ.AX) all posted higher annual profit earlier this month despite inflationary headwinds.

Persons: Edgar Su, CBA's, Matt Comyn, Australia's, Himanshi, Shilpi Majumdar Organizations: Commonwealth Bank of Australia, REUTERS, Commonwealth Bank of Australia's, Citi, CBA, National Australia Bank, Westpac, ANZ Group, Thomson Locations: Sydney, Australia, Australia's, COVID, Bengaluru

CBA said cash profit was A$2.5 billion ($1.6 billion) for the quarter, which was 3% better than a consensus estimate for the period, according to data aggregator Visible Alpha. "Home lending margins stabilised in the quarter," it added, without giving figures. Shares of CBA rose as much as 1% in morning trading, in line with the broader market (.AXJO) as analysts welcomed the better-than-expected margin outcome and a smaller-than-expected provision for potential loan impairments. Commenting on the bank's stabilising home loan margins, E&P Financial analyst Azib Khan said that "it would be helping on this front that CBA has been willing to forgo market share". For the year to September, CBA said it grew its mortgage book at 0.7 times the rate of the overall mortgage industry.

Persons: Brendan Sproules, Azib Khan, Himanshi, Shilpi Majumdar Organizations: Commonwealth Bank of, ANZ, Westpac, National Australia Bank, CBA, Citi, P, Thomson Locations: Bengaluru

That pushed net profit from the bank's institutional unit up 53% to overtake its retail unit, by dollar value, in the year to September, and helped the Melbourne-listed company grow overall profit 14% to A$7.4 billion ($4.7 billion), just missing a Visible Alpha consensus forecast of A$7.56 billion. But analysts expressed concern about a faster-than-expected narrowing of profit margin from the bank's retail unit, the only one of Australia's so-called big four lenders that has persisted with offering cash handouts to lure mortgage customers looking for a cheaper deal. The logo of the ANZ Bank is seen at Lambton Quay, in Wellington, New Zealand November 10, 2022. ANZ CEO Shayne Elliott denied forgoing margin to grow mortgages faster than the market, and challenged comments from other banks that have said they were intentionally slowing mortgage growth while competition eroded profit. ANZ declared a final dividend of 94 Australian cents per share, up from 74 cents a year ago.

Persons: NIM, Lucy Craymer, Shayne Elliott, we've, Byron Kaye, Rishav Chatterjee, Roushni Nair, Lisa Shumaker, Stephen Coates Organizations: ANZ, Westpac, National Australia Bank, midsession, ANZ Bank, REUTERS, UBS, Thomson Locations: Melbourne, Lambton Quay, Wellington , New Zealand, Sydney, Bengaluru

Livent CEO Paul Graves will take the top job at the newly minted Arcadium Lithium, if Allkem shareholders vote for the deal on Dec. 19. Merging the two companies would create the world's third-largest lithium producer by volume with assets spanning Australia, Canada and Argentina. Graves has said that one of his first priorities would be expanding Arcadium's footprint in Western Australia's world-class lithium districts. Under the deal, Allkem shareholders will get one share in the combined entity for each of their shares and the company will ultimately own 56% of the new firm. Livent shareholders will get 2.406 shares in the new firm, which will be called Arcadium Lithium, for each existing share.

Persons: Arcadium, Paul Graves, Kroll, Chile's, Graves, Albemarle, Livent Corp, Livent, Allkem, Scott Murdoch, Melanie Burton, Robert Birsel Organizations: JV, SYDNEY, Albemarle Corp, Liontown Resources, Hancock, Livent, FMC Corp, Galaxy Resources, Thomson Locations: Australia, U.S, Canada, Argentina, Western Australia, Sydney, Melbourne

☆ Australia's ANZ sinks as record annual profit falls short of market forecasts
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-12 | by ( Rishav Chatterjee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The logo of the ANZ Bank is seen at Lambton Quay, in Wellington, New Zealand November 10, 2022. The banking group's Aussie commercial business recorded 11% revenue growth over the year with lending rising to record high of A$62 billion. ANZ intends to expand its commercial business with focus on its currency and payment sites while reducing costs, it said. ANZ declared a final dividend of 94 Australian cents apiece, up from 74 Australian cents apiece announced a year ago. ANZ, however flagged that the external environment will likely remain challenging adding that higher interest rates will impact economic activity as it sees "another year of cost-of-living pressures."

Persons: Lucy Craymer, Azib Khan, Rishav Chatterjee, Roushni Nair, Grant McCool, Lisa Shumaker Organizations: ANZ Bank, REUTERS, ANZ, Citi, P Capital, Suncorp, Thomson Locations: Lambton Quay, Wellington , New Zealand, Australia, Bengaluru

☆ Australia's TPG Telecom ends $4 billion fibre sale talks with Vocus
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Jason Reed/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNov 13 (Reuters) - Australia's TPG Telecom Ltd (TPG.AX) said on Monday it had ended discussions with Macquarie-backed rival Vocus Group for the sale of some of its non-mobile fibre assets for about A$6.3 billion ($4.00 billion) as the parties failed to agree commercial terms. "The proposed transaction involved considerable complexity and, ultimately, the parties have been unable to reach alignment on the operating model and commercial terms," TPG Telecom said in a statement. In August, Vocus had made a non-binding offer to TPG Telecom to acquire certain Enterprise, Government and Wholesale (EGW) assets and associated fixed infrastructure assets, including wholesale broadband business Vision Network. The collapse of the fibre sale deal with Vocus is a second such setback for TPG Telecom, whose asset swap deal with bigger rival Telstra Group (TLS.AX) was blocked by the country's antitrust regulator and Australian Competition Tribunal. Under the asset swap deal, Telstra would have bought spectrum and transmission towers from TPG, while TPG would have kept selling 4G and 5G coverage using Telstra infrastructure.

Persons: Jason Reed, Vocus, Himanshi, Sandra Maler, Grant McCool Organizations: REUTERS, Australia's TPG Telecom Ltd, Vocus Group, TPG Telecom, Enterprise, Government, Wholesale, Vision Network, TPG, Vocus, Telstra Group, Australian Competition, Telstra, Thomson Locations: Sydney, Australia, Macquarie, Bengaluru

They will have another opportunity on Dec. 6, when a fourth debate will take place in Alabama. With only five candidates qualifying for the stage - DeSantis and Haley were joined by U.S. "Everybody wants to talk about President Trump. I can tell you that I think he was the right president at the right time," she said. "I don't think he's the right president now."

Persons: Donald Trump's, Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, Trump, Haley, Tim Scott, Chris Christie, Vivek Ramaswamy, Ramaswamy, DeSantis, ISRAEL, Adrienne Arsht, Biden, Joe Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Bibi, Scott, Christie, James Oliphant, Joseph Ax, Tim Reid, Eric Beech, Nathan Layne, Gram Slattery, Jasper Ward, Caitlin Webber, Ross Colvin, Howard Goller Organizations: MIAMI, Republican, Republican Party, U.S, New, Trump, Former South Carolina, NBC News, Adrienne, Adrienne Arsht Center, Performing Arts, Democratic, Republicans, Israel, Hamas, Supreme, Senate, Social Security, Thomson Locations: Florida, Iowa, Alabama, New Jersey, South Carolina, Tuesday's, Miami , Florida, U.S, Israel, Miami, Princeton , New Jersey, Los Angeles

REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSYDNEY, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Proxy advisor CGI Glass Lewis on Thursday recommended Origin Energy (ORG.AX) shareholders vote in favour of a $10.5 billion bid from a consortium led by Canada's Brookfield (BN.TO), despite opposition from the target's largest shareholder. Brookfield and EIG Partners last week offered a "best and final" A$9.53 per share for Origin after raising a previous bid. Australia's largest pension fund AustralianSuper opposes the offer and intends to use its 15% stake to vote against the deal at a Nov. 23 shareholder meeting. Origin Energy shares traded 1.9% higher at A$8.905 at 2 p.m. AEDT (0300 GMT) and are up 5.1% since the close of trade on Nov. 2, when AustralianSuper rejected the improved offer. Reporting by Scott Murdoch and Lewis Jackson; Editing by Leslie Adler and Jamie FreedOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Glass, Canada's Brookfield, AustralianSuper, Glass Lewis, Scott Murdoch, Lewis Jackson, Leslie Adler, Jamie Freed Organizations: Brookfield, REUTERS, Rights, Energy, EIG Partners, Services, Origin Energy, Australia Pacific LNG, Thomson Locations: Brookfield, Australia

The National Australia Bank Logo is seen on a branch in central Sydney, Australia, February 8, 2018. That has left NAB, ranked third for mortgages but first for business loans, in a prime position as the country's retail lenders look elsewhere for growth. We're not abandoning (mortgages), we're tilting towards our business bank." Larger mortgage rival Westpac (WBC.AX) also posted a higher annual profit on Monday, despite a decline in home loan profit. The company's net interest margin, a closely-watched bank metric of lending interest income minus payouts to deposit accounts, shrank to 1.71% as of Sept. 30, from 1.77% at March-end.

Persons: Daniel Munoz, Ross McEwan, We're, Azib Khan, Roushni Nair, Archishma Iyer, Shounak Dasgupta, Jamie Freed Organizations: National, REUTERS, NAB, SYDNEY, National Australia Bank, Westpac, P, Thomson Locations: Sydney, Australia, Bengaluru

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