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

ADD – ARDENT LEISURE GROUP – down one cent, at $1.035

Queensland’s embattled tourism industry can ill afford a transport strike, says Premier Anna Bligh.

BOW – BOW ENERGY LTD – up 1.5 cents, or 1.03 per cent, at $1.475

BOW says it will recommended shareholders accept Arrow Energy’s take-over offer.

 

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CEU – CONNECTEAST GROUP – in trading halt, last traded at 48.5 cents

Securities in toll road owner ConnectEast Group are in a trading halt ahead of a vote on a $2.17 billion take-over offer.

GNS – GNS LTD – up two cents, or 12.9 per cent, at 17.5 cents

A move to cap pay-outs to contractors under the Tasmanian intergovernmental agreement (IGA) is yet another rip-off, federal opposition leader Tony Abbott says

WPL – WOODSIDE PETROLEUM LTD – down 31 cents, at $31.06

Production starts at the Woodside-operated Okha floating production storage and offloading vessel northwest of Karratha.

WOW – WOOLWORTHS LTD – up 27 cents, of 1.1 per cent, at $24.84

Supermarket giant Woolworths says it still expects to lift net profit in the current year but admits the retail sector faces significant challenges.