Stocks to watch on the Australian stock exchange on Wednesday, July 30:

BPT – BEACH ENERGY – down 5.5 cents, or 3.1 per cent, at $1.705

Beach Energy shares have fallen after the oil and gas producer flagged a slide in production in the coming year.

ORI – ORICA – up six cents, or 0.3 per cent, at $22.30

Chemical giant Orica says it regrets a series of pollution incidents which resulted in it being fined more than $750,000 and has pledged to improve the facilities where the problems happened.

QAN – QANTAS AIRWAYS – steady at $1.315

Qantas has reassured passengers it’s still safe to fly over Iraq, despite network partner Emirates deciding to steer clear of the conflict-torn nation.

QBE – QBE – down $1.32, or 11.1 per cent, at $10.57

QBE shares have slumped after the insurer flagged a slide in its first half profit linked to problems with its Latin American operations.

RXM – REX MINERALS – up 2.5 cents, or 6.7 per cent, at 40 cents

Rex Minerals has been given the green light by the South Australian government to develop what it says is Australia’s largest unexploited copper project.