Analysts, amid the hot topic of BHPB’s next move, see a possibility of BHP Billiton making a hostile bid for Rio Tinto if its billion merger proposal fails to gain traction.

Mr Greg Canavan an analyst with Fat Prophets said that BHPB is likely to go hostile if Rio continued its refusal to sit down at the negotiating table. He said "We believe that, having made an initial approach, BHP will not walk away at the first hurdle. Indeed, Mr Kloppers has commented that if the Rio board continues to hold out then BHP may launch a hostile bid."