Stocks to watch on the Australian stock exchange on Wednesday, July 18:

BHP – BHP BILLITON LTD – up two cents at $30.79

Production and sales at BHP Billiton’s key iron ore division are expected to have risen in the quarter to June 30 but falling commodity prices will mean overall net profit will be down.

BOQ – BANK OF QUEENSLAND LTD – up 16 cents at $6.81

Bank Of Queensland has sold off three of its most value-diminished commercial property loans to Goldman Sachs for $A156 million.

CVW – CLEARVIEW WEALTH LTD – up 0.5 cents at 54 cents

ClearView Wealth Management’s board has unanimously rejected a $220 million unsolicited takeover bid from CCP Bid Co.

FMG – FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LTD – down 10 cents at $4.54

Fortescue Metals Group says its exports will continue to grow, despite lower iron ore prices and global jitters about a slowdown in China. (FORTESCUE Wrap on file)

FWA – FARMWORKS AUSTRALIA LTD – steady at 2.5 cents

Agricultural products provider FarmWorks Australia (FWA) has appointed a former general manager of Elders, David Jones, as its new chief executive.

NCM – NEWCREST MINING LTD – up 52 cents at $22.02

Australia’s largest gold producer Newcrest Limited has a new executive general manager for projects, the company announced on Tuesday.

NWS – NEWS CORPORATION LTD – down two cents at $21.56

NWSLV – NEWS CORPORATION LTD NON VOTING SHARES – down seven cents at $21.31

Media tycoon Rupert Murdoch and his group of Australian companies have won a long-running battle with the Australian Taxation Office over more than $2 billion in tax deductions.

PPX – PAPERLINX LTD – down 0.5 cents at 4.1 cents

The chief executive of PaperlinX has quit as the troubled paper merchant sold more of its overseas operations to complete a strategic review.

RIO – RIO TINTO LTD – down five cents at $54.44

Rio Tinto has achieved record first half iron ore production in a result it hopes will offset plunging commodity prices.