How cynical of Rio Tinto, two days after announcing record iron ore production and shipments, to hit investors with such bad news. The miner yesterday said it would make more huge writedowns – this time totalling about $14bn after tax – in its 2012 results. That Rio is impairing a further $10bn-$11bn on its pre-crisis Alcan acquisition is hardly a surprise given aluminium’s fortunes. True, in November, Rio warned it could cut asset values in its full-year results. But its $3bn impairment on a coal asset in Mozambique acquired only in 2011 takes some beating. It is right for the chief executive to go.
力拓(Rio Tinto)宣布铁矿石产量和出货量创纪录才不过两天，紧接着就抛出这样的坏消息来打击投资者，真是讽刺。这家矿商昨日宣布，2012年财报将再次做出大规模减记，以税后计算，这次减记总额为140亿美元。考虑到铝的行情，力拓对金融危机爆发前收购的加拿大铝业(Alcan)进一步减记100-110亿美元并不稀奇。毕竟去年11月力拓就发过预警，有可能在全年业绩中进一步削减资产价值。但2011年才收购的莫桑比克煤炭资产也要减记30亿美元就说不过去了。首席执行官下台是对的。