AAP
Stocks to watch on the Australian stock exchange at the close of trade:
NCM - NEWCREST MINING - down 95 cents, or 2.56 per cent, at $36.20
Newcrest Mining Ltd has been given the green light for its $2 billion Cadia East project near Orange in New South Wales.
RIO - RIO TINTO LTD - up one cent at $79.01
Aluminium Corp of China (Chinalco) has no plans to offload its stake in mining giant Rio Tinto Ltd to wealth fund China Investment Corp (CIC), sources say.
MQG - MACQUARIE GROUP - up 41 cents, or 0.85 per cent, at $48.90
Macquarie Group has declined to comment on speculation it is one of three bidders for Royal Bank of Scotland's stake in RBS Sempra Commodities.
QAN - QANTAS AIRWAYS - up six cents, or 2.07 per cent, to $2.96
The Vietnamese government is investigating the operations of Australian budget airline Jetstar Pacific.
BXB - BRAMBLES LTD - up two cents at $7.04
Logistics company Brambles has made two internal executive appointments, completing a process of rejuvenating its leadership team.
CBH - CBH RESOURCES LTD - in trading halt, last traded at 14.5 cents
PEM - PERILYA LTD - down 1.5 cents, or 2.16 per cent, at 68 cents
Shares in CBH Resources have been placed in a trading halt, pending an announcement by the company.
CEU - CONNECTEAST GROUP - steady at 46 cents
Tollroad operator ConnectEast Group says daily revenue and daily trips on its EastLink toll road for December 2009 is well up on the prior corresponding period.
