Investors appear to like AngloGold's ( AU +3.2% ) promotion of longtime finance chief Srinivasan Venkatakrishnan to CEO, effective immediately. Venkat offers a "seamless” transition but faces challenges in managing the difficult relationship between mine workers, unions, the ANC and economic ... As cheaper gold makes South African mines unprofitable to operate, Goldman Sachs slaps Sell ratings on AngloGold ( AU -1.2% ) and Sibanye ( SBGL -5.1% ) due to their high exposure to the country. The firm also thinks attempts to reduce costs by reducing labor or closing mines could be met with ... Gold miners ( GDX ) have been smacked by plunging gold prices, but Citigroup and HSBC think they have further to fall . Citi worries about AngloGold ( AU ) because negative free cash flow would hit its "already stretched balance sheet," but Harmony Gold ( HMY ) has the balance sheet to weather ... AngloGold's ( AU ) proposal to split its South African assets from its other mines reportedly was rebuffed by the country’s government. The plan was suggested to the government after shareholders including John Paulson, whose hedge fund is the largest investor in AU, said the reorganization would ... Perhaps Wall Street analysts are starting to defend beaten-down gold miners, as Deutsche Bank upgrades South Africa's Gold Fields ( GFI +2.6% ) and AngloGold ( AU +1.1% ) to Buy from Hold. While the firm says the stocks look more expensive vs. spot gold (25x FY14 estimates), it believes the miners ... AngloGold Ashanti ( AU -4.2% ) shares are weak after reporting earnings and interesting comments from outgoing CEO Mark Cutifani, who calls negative views on South Africa "significantly overblown" but says the country’s mining sector "may be finished" if heavy labor violence returns. Tumbling gold ... More on AngloGold ( AU ) Q3 : profit plummets 63% to $168M as earnings hurt by the months-long strike in South Africa, which has caused company to lose 250K oz of gold production so far. Total Q3 output -4% to 1.03M oz. Costs +12% to $1,081/oz. Cuts 2012 capital spending by $200M to $2B-$2.1B to ... AngloGold Ashanti ( AU +4.8% ) powers higher after John Paulson, whose Advantage funds own a 7.4% stake, calls for a split of the company into South African operations and international operations he says could push shares as much as 68% higher. Paulson sees South African ops as a mature, high ... AngloGold Ashanti ( AU ) CEO Mark Cutifani reportedly heads the shortlist to replace Cynthia Carroll in the top job at Anglo American ( AAUKF.PK ), which may announce the recruitment within the next two weeks. "Mark is a pretty energetic guy," says portfolio manager Caesar Bryan. "He’s someone ... AngloGold Ashanti ( AU ) issues an ultimatum to striking workers at its Vall River and West Wits operating units to return to work by Wednesday or be dismissed. AU's South Africa operations, which account for about one-third of its total production, have been halted since Sept. 25. Workers returned ...