BHP, QR National, Invocare, Woodside: Australian Stock Preview BHP

Nov. 22 （Bloomberg） -- The following is a list of companies whose shares may have unusual moves in Australia. This preview includes news announced after markets closed on Nov. 19. All prices are from that day’s close unless otherwise stated.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index futures contract due in December climbed 0.1 percent to 4,655 as of 8 a.m. in Sydney. The Bank of New York Australia ADR Index advanced 0.9 percent. The S&P/ASX 200 Index fell 0.2 percent to 4,629.20.

Mining shares: A measure of metals traded in London dropped 0.7 percent after China told lenders for the fifth time this year to set aside more funds to drain cash from the financial system and limit asset bubbles.

BHP Billiton Ltd. （BHP AU）, the world’s largest mining company, slipped 0.4 percent to A$43.61 in Sydney. Its American depositary receipts retreated 0.9 percent in New York trading.

Rio Tinto Group （RIO AU）, the world’s third-biggest miner, lost 0.1 percent to A$84.30 in Sydney.

Oil producers: Crude for December delivery fell 0.4 percent to settle at $81.51 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

Woodside Petroleum Ltd. （WPL AU）, Australia’s second- biggest oil and gas producer, advanced 0.1 percent to A$41.01. Santos Ltd. （STO AU） fell 0.9 percent to A$12.69.

Financial companies: Australian credit unions and building societies can be a “strong competitive force” against banks, helping to cut borrowing costs, Treasurer Wayne Swan said in his weekly economic note. The government wants a “new pillar,” in the industry, Swan said earlier in an interview yesterday with Channel Nine. Commonwealth Bank of Australia （CBA AU）, the nation’s largest bank by market value, dropped 1.4 percent to A$48.81.

Westpac Banking Corp. （WBC AU） sank 0.8 percent to A$21.62. The lender renewed its outsourcing contract with International Business Machines Corp. in a five-year deal worth A$1.3 billion （$1.28 million）, the Australian Financial Review reported, without citing anyone.

Computershare Ltd. （CPU AU）: The world’s biggest share registrar was rated “hold” in new coverage at Deutsche Bank. The stock climbed 0.4 percent to A$9.79.

Invocare Ltd. （IVC AU）: The funeral home company was downgraded to “neutral” from “buy” at UBS AG. Invocare’s shares jumped 5.5 percent to A$7.29.

QR National Ltd. （QRN AU） will debt on the Australian share market today after Queensland state raised A$4.63 billion from the coal-train operator’s initial public offering.

Qantas Airways Ltd. （QAN AU）: Australia’s biggest airline may ground its fleet of Airbus SAS A380s for “several more weeks” as it continues to check engines on the jets, Reuters reported on Nov 19, citing an unidentified person with knowledge of the situation. Qantas shares lost 2.6 percent to A$2.66.

Virgin Blue Holdings Ltd. （VBA AU）: Australia’s second- largest airline and Etihad Airways will expand their alliance to potentially include purchasing, engineering support and aircraft acquisitions as they seek to cut costs, the Australian newspaper reported, citing a joint interview with Virgin Blue Chief Executive Officer John Borghetti and Etihad CEO James Hogan. Virgin Blue shares advanced 1.1 percent to 45.5 Australian cents.