Stocks to watch on the Australian stock exchange on Thursday, April 30:

AZJ – AURIZON – down one cent, or 0.2 per cent, at $4.87

Australia’s largest rail freight operator Aurizon has stood down some workers because of last week’s NSW storms.

IAG – INSURANCE AUSTRALIA GROUP – down 24.0 cents, or 4.07 per cent, at $5.65

Insurance Australia Group has lowered its full year profit guidance after taking a $250 million hit from recent storms in New South Wales.

NAB – NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK – down 92.0 cents, or 2.4 per cent, at $37.46

National Australia Bank will sell 18 million shares in its US subsidiary Great Western Bancorp, reducing its stake to just over a third.

REC – RECALL HOLDINGS – up 2.0 cents, or 0.26 per cent, at $7.64

Recall Holdings has recommended shareholders accept a $2.7 billion takeover offer that would bring the data management’s short tenure as a stand-alone company to an end.

SGM – SIMS METAL MANAGEMENT – down 78.0 cents, or 6.75 per cent, at $10.77

Sims Metal has forecast flat sales for the second half of the financial year as the world’s biggest scrap metal recycler battles a steep sales slide.

SWM – SEVEN WEST MEDIA – in a trading halt, last traded at $1.36

Shares in Seven West Media have been placed in a trading halt ahead of the announcement of a proposed capital raising.

SXY – SENEX ENERGY – down 4.0 cents, or 8.7 per cent, at 42.0 cents

Central Australian-based Senex Energy has further cut spending in response to weak oil prices as sales revenue fell during the March quarter.

WES – WESFARMERS – down 15.0 cents, or 0.35 per cent, at $43.00

Supermarket giant Coles lifted its third quarter sales 5.4 per cent to $7.1 billion, with comparable food and liquor sales up 3.8 per cent.