Morning news wrap: Autonomy Corp, IBM, BHP Billiton, Cairn Energy

In the FTSE 100, software developer Autonomy Corporation (LON:AU) has signed an OEM (original equipment manufacturer) license agreement with IBM (NYSE:IBM).
Oil and gas producer Cairn Energy (LON:CNE) said that Jubilee Phase 1 development remains on schedule to deliver first oil during November or December 2010. The group’s WI (working interest) production averaged 55,800 boepd (barrels of oil equivalent per day) for the first half of 2010 and is expected to average between 56,000 and 57,000 boepd for the full year, which is in line with expectations.
The world’s largest miner BHP Billiton (LON:BLT) once again praised Australia’s decision to cut its proposed mining tax to 30% and apply it to coal and iron ore, stating that decision to replace the earlier proposed tax with a better designed tax proposal was “encouraging for the resources industry.”

On AIM, emerging speciality pharmaceutical company Alliance Pharma (AIM: APH) said trading continued to be “strong” for H1 ended 30 June with sales reaching £23.4 million, marking an increase of £10.2 million on H1 2009.

Tantalum concentrate supplier with assets in Mozambique Noventa (AIM: NVTA) has signed a 3 year off-take agreement starting in 2011, for tantalum concentrate with a new customer, which “reflects current market prices.”

http://www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk/companies/news/18471/morning-news-wrap-autonomy-corp-ibm-bhp-billiton-cairn-energy-18471.html