- Rio Tinto Thursday reported an annual net loss of US$866 million, a sharp fall from last year in what the mining giant's chief executive said was a "highly challenging environment" amid plunging commodity prices, as the Chinese slowdown hits.

It compared to a US$6.53 billion net profit in the previous reporting year.

Underlying profit in the year to December 31, a measure the world's second-largest miner prefers, came in 51 percent lower at US$4.54 billion, from US$9.31 billion previously.