STOCKS to watch on the Australian stock exchange at noon on Thursday:
AAD - ARDENT LEISURE GROUP - down nine cents, or 5.66 per cent, at $1.50
Ardent Leisure has boosted its half year profit by 11 per cent, largely thanks to its newly-acquired health clubs and entertainment centres in the US.
ABC - ADELAIDE BRIGHTON LTD - up nine cents, or 2.74 per cent, at $3.37
Construction materials maker Adelaide Brighton has built a full year profit increase despite weak home building activity, but the carbon tax is causing concern.
AMP - AMP LTD - up seven cents, or 1.29 per cent, at $5.51
Financial services firm AMP has lifted its annual profit by two per cent as it continues to benefit from its merger with AXA Asia Pacific.
APN - APN NEWS & MEDIA LTD - up one cent, or 3.70 per cent, at 28 cents
Troubled newspaper publisher APN News and Media has fallen to a $455.8 million full year loss.
ASX - ASX LTD - down 52 cents, or 1.40 per cent, at $36.50
Share market operator ASX's first half profit has fallen by 2.5 per cent due to lower investor activity in the first three months of the 2012/13 financial year.
AWC - ALUMINA LTD - down one cent, or 0.80 per cent, at $1.24
Alumina's full year net losses have blown out and the troubled aluminium producer is bracing itself for more uncertainty ahead.
BXB - BRAMBLES INDUSTRIES LTD - up 13 cents, or 1.53 per cent, at $8.64
Pallet supplier Brambles has lifted its first half profit by 26 per cent due to expansion in developed and emerging markets.
EGP - ECHO ENTERTAINMENT GROUP LTD - up two cents, or 0.57 per cent, at $3.50
Casino operator Echo Entertainment's first half profit has slipped five per cent and revenues are down so far in the second half of the financial year.
FXJ - FAIRFAX MEDIA LTD - down 1.25 cents, or 2.29 per cent, at 53.25
Embattled media group Fairfax says gloomy conditions in the advertising market are still dragging on its revenues.
IAG - INSURANCE AUSTRALIA GROUP LTD - up 15 cents, or 2.77 per cent, at $5.57
Insurance Australia Group's (IAG) first half profit has more than tripled and the company has raised its performance targets for the full year.
ILU - ILUKA RESOURCES LTD - up 34 cents, or 3.28 per cent, at $10.69
Mineral sands miner Iluka will axe 200 jobs as it seeks to rein in costs after reporting a 33 per cent slide in full year profit.
ORG - ORIGIN ENERGY LTD - down $1.11, or 8.97 per cent, at $11.27
Energy producer and retailer Origin Energy fears its full year earnings will drop by up to 15 per cent after its interim profit fell by a third.
PPX - PAPERLINX LTD - down 0.6 cents, or 6.19 per cent, at 9.1 cents
Stationery company Paperlinx has announced a first half loss of $57.3 million due to weak market conditions.
QAN - QANTAS AIRWAYS LTD - up 8.5 cents, or 5.26 per cent, at $1.70
Qantas Airways shares have risen after the airline reported a hefty lift in first half net profit and an improved performance at its struggling international division.
SEPARATELY: Qantas says one of its board members denies any wrongdoing after reports she has been caught up in a corruption investigation into an Italian bank.
SEPARATELY: Sydney should have a second airport by 2030 and the best location is Badgerys Creek, Qantas Airways chief executive Alan Joyce says.
TLS - TELSTRA CORPORATION - steady at $4.56
Telstra is axing 648 jobs from its troubled Sensis division, which runs Yellow Pages, White Pages and Trading Post.
TTS - TATTS GROUP LTD - up four cents, or 1.21 per cent, at $3.35
Lotteries and wagering operator Tatts Group says it has had a positive start to the second half of the 2012/13 financial year.
VRL - VILLAGE ROADSHOW LTD - steady at $4.52
Village Roadshow says it's cashing in on people's willingness to indulge in a little pleasure, after posting an 18 per cent lift in half year profit.
WHC - WHITEHAVEN COAL LTD - down 13 cents, or 4.31 per cent, at $2.995
Coal miner Whitehaven has named the former head of Nathan Tinkler's private company as its new chief executive.
