III. RUSSIAN MINING COMPANY BUYS INTO AMERICAN COMPANY

Russian Mining company Norilsk paid $1.2 billion in cash for a 20% stake in GOLD FIELDS (GFI, $13.13, up 0.69), which is held by ANGLO AMERICAN (AAUK, $25.27, up 1.77). Anglo American said it would pick up $480 million on the deal, which it plans to use to finance gold mining efforts and to pay down debt in South Africa. Gold Fields is the #4 Gold Miner in the world. It's interesting to see such a large purchase from a Russian company, and illustrative of how high gold prices are helping producers worldwide.