Sector: Materials

Rio Tinto, the world's No.2 producer of iron ore, sees no signs of a slowdown in demand from top consumer China and still plans to almost double its output of the steel-making ingredient by 2016.

Russia's UC RUSAL, the world's biggest aluminum producer, posted an 84 percent drop in first-quarter net profit, potentially fuelling a shareholder conflict over the company's refusal to sell its stake in Norilsk Nickel.

World No.3 miner Rio Tinto warned on Thursday that rising costs are the key challenge it faces but that would not deter it from expanding its highly profitable iron ore operations in Australia.

Rio Tinto reported worse falls than expected in iron ore and copper production in the first quarter after it was hit by bad weather, knocking the global miner's shares lower.

Rusal, the world's top aluminium maker, will enter into arbitration in London in a dispute with Russian billionaire Viktor Vekselberg's investment firm over its $47 billion supply deal with commodities trader Glencore.

Indonesia's plan to impose a 25 percent export tax on coal may turn Indian power producers towards other coal exporting countries and increase tensions between companies and the Indian government over electricity tariffs.

Rio Tinto has seen "quite a lot" of interest in aluminum operations earmarked for sale last year, despite tough market conditions, and is preparing the estimated $8 billion of assets for a variety of options, including a stock listing.     

Rio Tinto, the world's third-largest miner, effectively invited bids on Tuesday for its diamonds business, on its books at $1.2 billion, and joined rival BHP Billiton in backing away from a business that has lost its sparkle. 

RUSAL, the world's top aluminium maker, posted a worse-than-expected 92 percent drop in yearly net profit on Monday, dealing another blow to the Russian firm after its former chairman said it was in "deep crisis". 

The world's largest aluminium producer UC RUSAL confirmed on Friday that it had appointed Barry Cheung as its new chairman after billionaire Viktor Vekselberg quit earlier this week.

Shares of United Company RUSAL, the world's largest aluminum producer, fell as much as 5.7 percent on Wednesday after its billionaire chairman quit, saying the heavily indebted company was in crisis after a long battle with rival oligarch Oleg Deripaska.

Russia's United Company Rusal, the world's largest aluminum maker, descended into boardroom turmoil on Tuesday after its chairman resigned, making allegations of a debt crisis and prompting an indefinite suspension of the company's shares.

Indonesia's recent policy measures, like capping foreign ownership in mines, has not gone down well with investors and the policy uncertainty is going to continue, says one expert as Southeast Asia's largest economy prepares for elections in 2014.

Fitria Yusuf is a bag lady, but you won't find her sleeping rough in Jakarta. Her bag of choice is Hermes, a French brand so coveted in the Indonesian capital it can cost as much as a luxury car. Yusuf owns five of them, having cut down from the early days of her infatuation with the products.

A commodity expert tells CNBC that the new Indonesian regulation capping foreign ownership in mines is “terrible”, as it will severely affect the country's standing as an investment destination.