Stocks to watch on the Australian stock exchange on Friday:
BHP – BHP BILLITON LTD – up 19 cents, or 0.53 per cent, at $36.37
FMG – FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LTD – down three cents, or 0.64 per cent, at $4.66
RIO – RIO TINTO LTD – up 54 cents, or 0.8 per cent, at $64.73
Exports from the iron ore-rich Pilbara region are still at a stand still after category 2 Tropical Cyclone Heidi lashed Port Hedland overnight.
ILU – ILUKA RESOURCES LTD – down 20 cents, or 1.2 per cent, at $16.70
One of 2011’s best stockmarket performers Iluka Resources has posted a 53 per cent jump in sales revenues in the December quarter, capping a year of strong growth in production and sales.
NBL – NONI B LTD – up 15 cents, or 37.5 per cent, at 55 cents
Fashion chain Noni B expects to lift its first-half profit by up to 60 per cent despite tough trading conditions within the retail sector.
QBE – QBE INSURANCE GROUP LTD – down $1.65, or 12.7 per cent, at $11.35
Shares in QBE Insurance have plummeted to eight year lows after the company issued a surprise profit downgrade due to a record level of claims from natural disasters.
RIO – RIO TINTO LTD – up 54 cents, or 0.8 per cent, at $64.73
Rio Tinto has taken complete ownership of Canadian uranium company Hathor Exploration.
STO – SANTOS LTD – up one cent, or 0.1 per cent, at $12.75
The Santos-led Wortel offshore gas project in East Java, Indonesia, is expected to begin production by the end of January.
TCL – TRANSURBAN GROUP – down seven cents, or 1.25 per cent, at $5.55
Toll road operator Transurban’s first-half revenue has grown by six per cent to nearly $474 million as traffic increased on the majority of its roads.
WOR – WORLEYPARSONS LTD – down six cents, or 0.2 per cent, at $26.38
Engineering giant WorleyParsons has won a contract for work in Alaska with ExxonMobil estimated to be worth $US115 million ($A111.80 million).
AAP cdh/
