T o understand the tsunami of takeovers that will roll through markets in 2010, you only need understand one simple concept: Cash is trash. Interest rates have never been lower. It is now punitive for companies to hold cash reserves – the capital doesn’t earn its keep, and will weigh heavily on financial results

T wo Chinese companies are offering $650-million (U.S.) for Canadian miner Corriente Resources Ltd. CTQ-T in China’s latest bid to acquire resource assets abroad. China Railway Construction Corp

R ussia will moderately step up efforts to curb speculative capital, while gradually moving its economy to a free float ruble exchange regime, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday. “We need to correct the rules so it is less interesting for speculative capital to come running into Russia,” Mr.

A consortium led by Russia’s private oil giant Lukoil on Tuesday signed an initial deal with Iraq to develop one of its biggest oil fields, an agreement key to the war-ravaged nation’s efforts to boost the output of a resource crucial to its postwar reconstruction efforts. Lukoil had partnered with Norway’s Statoil ASA to bid to develop the 12.88 billion barrel West Qurna Phase 2 field, the crown jewel of the 15 fields offered during Iraq’s second postwar oil licensing round held earlier this month.

T he board of International Royalty Corp. IRC-T recommended Tuesday that shareholders reject an “inadequate” takeover bid from Franco-Nevada Corp.

Stocks are looking to extend their gains into a seventh straight day as investors anticipate positive readings on home prices and consumer confidence. Overseas markets are also higher.

Financial services firm Stifel Nicolaus & Co. will complete the buyback of auction-rate securities from individual investors six months early under a settlement reached Monday with Missouri and other states. The regional brokerage and financial services firm based in St.