If Rio Tinto is up after selling $1.6bn of assets, rival and one time predator BHP Billiton is falling on talk it has been guiding expectations lower.
BHP put out a production report last week and is due to release interim figures late next Tuesday. It appears that since the production report, analysts have been adjusting their figures with, for example the announcement of an indefinite suspension of nickel operations at Ravensthorpe in Australia likely to affect the profit and loss account.
The company refused to comment on market speculation. But its shares have lost 68p to £12.08. Meanwhile Rio is still up 52p at £16.02.
