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Stocks to watch at noon

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Stocks to watch on the Australian stock exchange at noon on Wednesday:

AAC – AUSTRALIAN AGRICULTURAL COMPANY – down 0.50 cents, or 0.33 per cent, at $1.50.

The country’s biggest beef producer, Australian Agricultural Company, has suffered another net loss but expects to benefit from recent free trade deals in Asia.

AGO – down 0.75 cents, or 3.49 per cent, at 20.75 cents

BCI – down 7.50 cents, or 11.45 per cent, at 58.00 cents

BHP – down 32.5 cents, or 0.98 per cent, at $32.855

FMG – down 15.5 cents, or 5.22 per cent, at $2.815

RIO – down 66 cents, or 1.11 per cent, at $58.81

Local miners feel the impact of an overnight slump in the iron ore price with the commodity falling 4.39 per cent to $US71.80, a five-year low.

CCV – CASH CONVERTERS – up 0.25 cents, or 0.49 per cent, at $1.03

Cash Converters has its annual general meeting on Wednesday.

DUE – DUET GROUP – in a trading halt, last traded at $2.56

Shares in energy infrastructure business Duet Group have been placed in a trading halt while the company looks to raise almost $400 million from investors.

JHX – JAMES HARDIE INDUSTRIES – up 64 cents, or 5.33 per cent, at $12.64

James Hardie shares have climbed after the building products maker reported a strong jump in half year operating profit.

NEC – NINE ENTERTAINMENT – up 1.00 cents, or 0.49 per cent, at $2.06

A pickup in the advertising market has given Nine Entertainment confidence about lifting its first half profit.

ALSO: Nine Entertainment’s chairman has added his voice to growing calls from media bosses for the federal government to revamp the industry’s ownership rules.

ORI – ORICA – up 13 cents, or 0.67 per cent, at $19.38

Chemicals producer Orica expects to cut 700 jobs in 2015.

ALSO: Explosives giant Orica has announced the sale of its chemicals business for $750 million to private equity group Blackstone.

SVW – SVEN WEST GROUP – down 33 cents, or 5.08 per cent, at $6.17

Kerry Stokes’ mining services business WesTrac is cutting at least another 100 jobs because of steep falls in commodity prices.

TEN – TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS – up 0.5 cents, or 1.89 per cent, at 27 cents

The list of potential buyers for the Ten Network continues to grow, with another US private equity group reportedly running the ruler over the struggling broadcaster.

VAH – VIRGIN AUSTRALIA – up 0.5 cents, or 1.25 per cent, at 40.5 cents

Virgin Australia has its annual general meeting on Wednesday.