Stocks to watch on the Australian stock exchange at noon on Thursday:
ASB - AUSTAL - down 1.00 cents, or 1.14 per cent, at 87 cents
Ship builder Austal expects to meet its full year revenue target after reporting a 76 per cent increase in first half net profit.
NEC - NINE ENTERTAINMENT - up 0.5 cents, or 0.22 per cent, at $2.285
Nine Entertainment Co has posted a 22 per cent lift in half year revenue to $802.7 million, in its first result since relisting on the stock exchange.
PPT - PERPETUAL - up 80 cents, or 1.61 per cent, at $50.50
Wealth manager Perpetual has lifted its half year profit due to improved equity markets and lower costs as a result of its restructure.
QAN - QANTAS AIRWAYS - down 9.5 cents, or 7.48 per cent, at $1.175
Qantas will axe 5000 jobs after posting a $252 million first half loss.
SEPARATELY: Qantas will sell its 31-year-old Brisbane airport lease back to the airport corporation for $112 million.
SVW - SEVEN GROUP - down 14 cents, or 1.71 per cent, at $8.03
Billionaire Kerry Stokes' Seven Group Holdings has increased its half year net profit by 2.8 per cent to $263.9 million.
TSE - TRANSFIELD SERVICES - down 8.75 cents, or 9.07 per cent, at 87.75 cents
Maintenance and project management firm Transfield Services says activity levels in Australia and New Zealand have remained subdued leading into the second half of the 2013/14 financial year.
