BHP Supplies Information to Japanese Commission on Rio Offer

Nov. 6 (Bloomberg) -- BHP Billiton Ltd., making a $73.8 billion hostile bid for Rio Tinto Group, said it is supplying information requested by Japan's Fair Trade Commission. ``They have requested certain information from us in connection with their enquiries into the offer,'' Illtud Harri, a BHP spokesman, said today by telephone in London. ``We are in the process of supplying the information and will continue to assist them.'' The commission demanded Melbourne-based BHP hand over the information by Nov. 17, the Age reported, citing Katsunori Inaguma, the chief investigator on the case. Harri declined to confirm the deadline or give details of the commission's request. Asian and European steelmakers oppose the takeover, saying BHP would gain too much influence over iron-ore prices. The combined companies would vie with Brazil's Cia. Vale do Rio Doce as the world's largest supplier of the raw material used to make steel. European regulators sent a formal complaint to BHP outlining antitrust objections to the deal, the company said Nov. 4.