Stocks of interest on the Australian Securities Exchange on Thursday:

AZJ – AURIZON HOLDINGS – down two cents, or 0.38 per cent, at $5.18

Aurizon Holdings will appoint Tim Poole as it new chairman, following the planned retirement of John B Prescott in September.

BHP – BHP BILLITON – up 20 cents, or 0.71 per cent, to $28.53

RIO – RIO TINTO – up $1.01, or 1.79 per cent, to $57.50

FMG – FORTESCUE METALS – up five cents, or 2.1 per cent, at $2.43

The big mining stocks have made strong gains on Wednesday after recent rises in the iron ore price.

NCM – NEWCREST MINING – down 39.0 cents, or 2.75 per cent, at $13.80

Newcrest Mining has undergone its second management shake up in a year with two key executives departing.

PPX – PAPERLINX – up 0.1 cents, or 3.85 per cent, at 2.7 cents.

Printing and publishing group PaperlinX has entered into agreements to sell its operations in Scandinavia, Spain and Ireland.

PFL – PATTIES FOODS – up one cent, or 0.83 per cent, at $1.21

The recall of Nanna’s frozen berry products due to a hepatitis A scare has cost owner Patties Foods $1.5 million in lost earnings.