Cliffs Natural posts Q1 loss on lower iron-ore, coal prices

Cliffs Natural Resources, which is facing off against an activist investor that wants to break up the company, posted a first-quarter loss on Thursday on the back of lower market prices for iron ore and metallurgical coal. The Cleveland, Ohio-based miner reported a net loss of $83-million, or $0.54 a share, in the three months to end-March from a net profit of $97-million, or $0.66 a share, in the same period a year earlier.