Stocks to watch at noon on Thursday

STOCKS to watch on the Australian stock exchange at noon on Thursday:

CGF - CHALLENGER LTD - up one cent, or 0.28 per cent, at $3.63

Retirement funder Challenger has lifted earnings as more people seek secure retirement income.

HVN - HARVEY NORMAN HOLDINGS LTD - up 0.5 cents, or 0.22 per cent, at $2.285

Harvey Norman is expected to post its first half results on Thursday.

LLC - LEND LEASE GROUP - up 11.5 cents, or 1.08 per cent, at $10.775

Construction and development firm Lend Lease has sold its 30 aged care homes to a private equity firm for $270 million.

NZO - NEW ZEALAND OIL & GAS LTD - in trading halt, last traded at 76.5 cents

New Zealand Oil & Gas has asked to be placed in a trading halt for around four hours on the New Zealand and Australian stock exchanges, pending "a material announcement regarding how NZOG progresses with a material asset".

PPT - PERPETUAL LTD - up $2.10, or 5.32 per cent, at $41.72

Fund manager Perpetual's first half profit has grown by 19 per cent as it continues to cut costs.

TWE - TREASURY WINE ESTATES LTD - up 27 cents, or 5.51 per cent, at $5.17

Winemaker Treasury Wine Estates (TWE) has urged the federal and state governments to provide more support for the Australian wine sector as it battles the high value of the Australian dollar.

WOW - WOOLWORTHS LTD - up 44 cents, or 1.29 per cent, at $34.45

Woolworths' first half profit has grown to $1.15 billion as earnings from its supermarkets rose by six per cent.

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