1. Labour has imposed the utility windfall tax, introduced the minimum wage and ramped up petrol duty. 2. Although analysts say it is unlikely, investors also will watch for a windfall tax on utilities. 3. Any formerly government-owned companies may be the target of the windfall tax, including other high yielders like British Telecommunications Plc. 4. Bad ideas now floating in Washington include price controls on energy, a windfall profits tax on the oil industry and cutting the federal gasoline tax. 5. A special windfall tax will be levied if a massive gas deposit is discovered. 6. Concerns that the Labour Party, which is expected to win the next general election, will impose a windfall profit tax on utilities also has hurt investor sentiment. 7. Early last week, de la Rua publicly instructed his economic team to study imposing a one-time windfall profits tax on companies privatized under Menem. 8. He sponsored legislation that resulted in the deregulation of natural gas, and led the fight to repeal the so-called windfall profit tax. 9. Investors believe a Labour government would increase regulations governing utilities and could impose a windfall tax on profits. 10. Once it is clear how much Southern has to pay the government in so-called windfall tax, analysts expect renewed interest from the U.S. |