The Glencore Xstrata deal has been brought to a halt after major shareholder Qatar says it will vote against the £30 billion move.

The Qatar sovereign wealth fund owns 12 percent of Xstrata’s shares, and had indicated back in June that is was unsatisfied, saying that it was “seeking improved merger terms".

Qatar has now stated that: “will vote vote its entire shareholding in Xstrata against the proposed scheme".