Stocks to watch on the Australian stock exchange on Monday, Dec 8:

BKN – BRADKEN – up $1.21, or 36.5 per cent, at $4.53

Shares in manufacturer Bradken soared to a two month high as the company’s board mulls an $872 million takeover offer from a private equity consortium.

EHE – ESTIA HEALTH GROUP – down $1.01, 17.6 per cent, at $4.74

Aged care provider Estia Health Group has had a disappointing trading debut on the share market.

LEI – LEIGHTON HOLDINGS – down eight cents, or 0.4 per cent, at $21.10

Construction engineering giant Leighton has won a $150 million contract to widen western Sydney’s M4 motorway.

MGX – MOUNT GIBSON IRON – down 20.5 cents, or 50 per cent, at 20.5 cents

Hundreds of jobs are expected to be slashed at Mount Gibson’s Koolan Island operations as the company mothballs its flooded mine and cuts production targets.

PMV – PREMIER INVESTMENTS – up 21 cents, or two per cent, at $10.65

Retail veteran Solomon Lew plans to sidestep GST on his company’s products in response to the government’s failure to impose the tax on goods bought online from overseas.

TAH – TABCORP – up one cent, or 0.2 per cent, at $4.19

TTS – TATTS – down four cents, or 1.2 per cent, at $3.40

Gaming firm Tatts has won a $540 million compensation payout from the Victorian government after an appeal was dismissed.

An appeal by Tabcorp for compensation of $687 million was also dismissed.