ArcelorMittal, the world's biggest steel company, has reported a profits rise of 48 per cent in the three months to the end of September compared with the same period a year earlier.

Net profit for the third quarter was $1.35 billion (approximately €978 million), up from $910 million (approx. €660 million) a year earlier.

Sales also increased, by 30 per cent against the previous year.

Demand for steel demand has once again been rising, though it still remains below pre-crisis levels.

The Chinese-designed Elevated High-Speed Super Bus may be pulling up to bus stops in North America in the not-too-distant-future.

Song Youzhou, designer of the super bus, has formed US Elevated High-Speed Bus (Group) Inc, to plan distribution and manufacturing of the vehicle outside of China, beginning with North America.

Birmingham, UK-based engineering group IMI is to spend €135 million (£120 million) to acquire German industrial valve maker Zimmermann & Jansen.

Zimmermann & Jansen (Z&J), which has manufacturing facilities in Germany, US and South Africa, as well as a sales and purchasing office in China, specialises in the manufacture of heavy-duty valves used in the petrochemical, iron and steel markets.

Z&J also has a strong aftermarket business, with around two thirds of its sales coming from refurbishment, replacement, parts and service.

BP announced today that it has reached agreement to sell its recently acquired interests in four mature producing deepwater oil and gas fields in the US Gulf of Mexico to Marubeni Oil and Gas for $650 million.

BP acquired the interests in the Magnolia, Merganser, Nansen and Zia fields from Devon Energy earlier in 2010 as part of a wider acquisition of assets in the Gulf of Mexico, Brazil and Azerbaijan.

Spain’s Ferrovial plans to sell a 10 per cent stake in BAA, the owner of London’s Heathrow airport, to pay off debt and fund other projects.

In 2006 the Madrid-based infrastructure group led a consortium that acquired BAA for €16 billion (£14.2 billion), as part of a plan to expand its activities beyond construction.

Ferrovial will now reduce its 55.9 per cent stake in the UK business, but will still remain the largest shareholder.

10. Colombia (EPI: 76.8)

Despite its relatively small size, Colombia is the second most biologically diverse country on earth, home to about 10 percent of the world’s species. This biodiversity results from Colombia's varied ecosystems—from the rich tropical rainforest to the coastal cloud forests to the open savannas. Recently, the Colombian government has taken steps to make the country more eco-friendly.

Caterpillar Inc. has signed an agreement with investment firm 3i to acquire MWM Holding GmbH, a leading global supplier of highly sustainable alternative engines.

The total transaction value amounts to €580 million (approximately $810 million) and will be paid in cash.

The Nigerian unit of Africa-focused oil and gas company Afren has agreed to buy a stake in oil fields in Nigeria from Royal Dutch Shell, Total and Eni.

First Hydrocarbon Nigeria (FHN), in which Afren has a 45 per cent stake, has agreed to buy a 45 per cent stake in OML 26 in the Delta State for $187.5 million (approximately €135 million). The price includes the cost of the acquisition and FHN's share of planned development.

The remaining 55 per cent stake will be held by the state-run Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation.

Thompson Creek Metals has emerged as the sole owner of Terrane Metals Corp. after closing transactions with Goldcorp and Terrane shareholders.

Goldcorp will receive an aggregate of C$240.5 million in cash plus 13.9 million common shares of Thompson Creek (representing approximately 8 percent of Thompson Creek's issued and outstanding shares).

Terrane Metals is an exploration and mine development company focused on the development of the Mt. Milligan copper-gold and Berg copper-molybdenum-silver projects in British Columbia, Canada.