From Mineweb.net: Standard & Poor’s anticipates the 2009 operating performance of the global metals and mining sector to be much weaker with the potential for some improvement late in the year.

“We think there’s a good change that prices will rebound to a healthier level once demand starts to improve, although well below the peaks of 2007 and 2008,” S&P Credit Analysts Marie Shmark, Michael Scerbo, Alex Herbert and Donald Marleau said….. Full Article: Source