Stocks of interest on the Australian Securities Exchange on Monday:

BHP – BHP BILLITON – up 53 cents, or 1.66 per cent, at $32.50

BHP Billiton has obtained oil exploration licences from the government of Barbados and plans to explore an area of 5,000 square kilometres about 40 kilometres southeast of the Caribbean island.

VAH – VIRGIN AUSTRALIA – down one cent, or 1.96 per cent, at 50 cents

Virgin Australia has posted a narrower loss during the March quarter as costs fell, passenger yields improved and budget subsidiary Tigerair recovered to turn a small profit.

WBC – WESTPAC – up 27 cent, or 0.74 per cent, at $36.73

Westpac releases its first half results on Monday.