Europe's anti-monopoly laws and extreme patience have combined to bring riches to an Australian miner in Italy.

While many Europeans have been rubbing their hands to avoid the cold during winter in the Northern Hemisphere, the shareholders in a small Australian company have been rubbing their hands with glee. Between mid-December and the end of March the share price of Po Valley Energy has risen from 65¢ to $1.90. The cause is twofold. Po Valley has discovered commercial quantities of gas in northern Italy, and Russia's reputation as a reliable gas supplier has been damaged.