Xstrata PLC

Gold Anomaly Limited (ASX:GOA) today announced results from its first drill hole at its flagship Crater Mountain gold project in Papua New Guinea.

El Nino Ventures Inc. (CVE:ELN) (PINK:ELNOF) (ETR:E7Q) will be exhibiting at the 2011 PDAC International Convention, Trade Show & Investors Exchange in Toronto, Canada at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre and would like to invite attendees to visit us at booth 2129. El Nino Ventures will also be attending this year's Mines and Money Conference in Hong Kong, March 22-25, 2011 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC).

Bandanna Energy Limited (ASX:BND) is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr Peter Binnie as Manager - Infrastructure.

Queensland Mining Corporation Ltd (ASX:QMN) is pleased to announce that drilling has commenced at the Black Fort prospect within the Orion joint venture (JV). The prospect is located about 45km south-southwest of Cloncurry in NW Queensland.

Following the first gold pour at Exco Resources Limited's (ASX:EXS) (PINK:EXRSF) 75%-owned White Dam Gold Project in April 2010, the operation has continued to perform extremely well.

Australian market this morning opened in red led by consumer staples, which lost 2 per cent. Both materials sector and metals and mining sector dropped 1.1 per cent in early trade. The benchmark S&P/ASX200 Index was down 0.67 per cent, while the broader All Ordinaries Index fell 0.59 per cent.

A boost in resources stocks on Friday helped to break the eight-day losing streak in Australian stocks market. The local market finished marginally higher at the close, despite the proposed new minerals resources rent tax sparked a strong gain in early trade. This is largely due to Investors' refocuse on global economy issues.

Aluminum Corp of China (SHA:601600) (HKG:2600), or Chalco, is three weeks away from deadline to submit a feasibility study of developing a refinery for the Aurukun bauxite deposit in Queensland. The state government has indicated that Chalco has to build an aluminium refinery on the state's east coast as part of the requirements to secure the lease.

US stocks rose overnight as investors were encouraged by the stronger than expected retail sales figures, which also eased some concerns over the reporting season to kick off next week. Most Asian markets yesterday fell after the negative lead from Wall Street. Japan's Nikkei 225 dropped 1.1 per cent after weak machinery orders data. China's Shanghai Composite lost 0.94 per cent while Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index declined 0.3 per cent. But South Korea's Kospi was 0.4 per cent higher as strong foreign buying came in late trade.

ABN Newswire stocks to watch today include: AuDAX Resources Limited (ASX:ADX) (PINK:ADXRF), AusTex Oil Limited (ASX:AOK) (PINK:ATXDF), Universal Resources Limited (ASX:URL), Coalspur Mines Limited (ASX:CPL) (PINK:CSPZF), Adelaide Energy Limited (ASX:ADE) (PINK:ADEZF), Burleson Energy Limited (ASX:BUR), Beach Energy Limited (ASX:BPT) (PINK:BEPTF) and Otto Energy Limited (ASX:OEL) (PINK:OTTEF).