Stocks to watch on the Australian stock exchange eearly on Tuesday:

ALS – ALESCO CORPORATION LTD – up 6.0 cents, or 2.94 per cent, at $2.10

DLX – DULUXGROUP LTD – down one cent, or 0.34 per cent, at $2.95

Alesco has urged its shareholders to take no action on a $188 million takeover offer from DuluxGroup as it awaits further details on the offer.

CWK – COALWORKS LTD – up 14 cents, or 16.37 per cent, at 99.5 cents

WHC – WHITEHAVEN COAL LTD – down 31 cents, or 6.31 per cent, at $4.60

Whitehaven Coal is continuing its expansion, launching a $172 million offer for NSW coal explorer Coalworks.

EPD – EMPIRE LTD – last traded at 30 cents.

Empire Ltd is due to hold a general meeting on Tuesday.

IMC – IMMURON LTD – flat at 1.7 cents

Synlait Milk, the New Zealand milk processor controlled by China’s Bright Dairy, has signed a deal to supply colostrum to ASX-listed pharmaceutical company Immuron.

IVA – IVANHOE AUSTRALIA LTD – down two cents, or 1.69 per cent, at $1.16.5

RIO – RIO TINTO LTD – down $2.91, or 4.48 per cent, at $62.00

Rio Tinto has named its nominees to the board of minerals explorer Ivanhoe Australia after taking effective control of the company’s major shareholder.

LEI – LEIGHTON HOLDINGS LTD – down 71 cents, or 3.56 per cent, at $19.25

The completion date for Brisbane’s Airport Link toll road has been pushed back by almost two months.

ORI – ORICA LTD – down 14 cents, or 0.53 per cent, at $26.40

Chemical leaks at Orica’s ammonia plant near Newcastle in NSW have contributed to a four per cent drop in the company’s first half net profit.

OST – ONE STEEL LTD – last traded at $1.225

OneSteel Ltd is due to hold an extraordinary general meeting to consider name change to Arrium Ltd.

OSH – OIL SEARCH LTD – last traded at $7.12

Oil Search is due to hold a general meeting.

SUN – SUNCORP GROUP LTD – down 16 cents, or 1.91 per cent, at $8.21

Queensland’s biggest insurer has stopped writing new policies in two towns that repeatedly flood, urging governments to do more mitigation works.

TLS – TELSTRA CORPORATION – down five cents, or 1.39 per cent, at $3.56

Random House managing director Margaret Seale is joining Telstra’s board as a non-executive director.