Stocks to watch on the Australian stock exchange at noon on Tuesday:
AIO – ASCIANO – up 2.5 cents, or 0.46 per cent, at $5.425
Rail operator Asciano says it is on track to achieve its full year profit target thanks to stronger-than-expected coal volumes.
EGP – ECHO ENTERTAINMENT – down 2.5 cents, or 0.87 per cent, at $2.835
Casinos operator Echo Entertainment Group has appointed gaming veteran Greg Hawkins as managing director of the group’s biggest asset, The Star in Sydney.
HZN – HORIZON OIL – down 3.5 cents, or 9.46 per cent, at $33.5 cents
ROC – ROC OIL – up 0.5 cents, or 1.10 per cent, at 46 cents
Shares in Horizon Oil have fallen heavily on its plans for an $800 million merger with fellow energy explorer and developer Roc Oil.
LEI – LEIGHTON HOLDINGS – up 5.00 cents, or 0.26 per cent, at $19.30
German-based and Spanish-owned construction company Hochtief will pay Leighton shareholders sooner than previously expected if they accept Hochtief’s proportional takeover offer for the Australian construction and contract mining group.
OSH – OIL SEARCH – up 15 cents, or 1.70 per cent, at $8.95
STO – SANTOS – up 18 cents, or 1.33 per cent, at $13.70
Liquefied natural gas production has started early at the $US19 billion Papua Guinea LNG project in which Australian companies Oil Search and Santos are partners.
WES – WESFARMERS – down 63 cents, or 1.44 per cent, at $43.26
Shares in retail group Wesfarmers have slipped after its third quarter sales figures fell short of market expectations.
WHC – WHITEHAVEN COAL – up 1.25 cents, or 0.83 per cent, at $1.5175
Whitehaven Coal produced and sold less coal during the March quarter while battling low prices but says it’s flagship and controversial Maules Creek project is more than one-third complete.
