Stocks to watch on the Australian stock exchange on Friday, Dec 5:

IAG – INSURANCE AUSTRALIA GROUP – down one cent, or 0.2 per cent, at $6.21

Insurance Australia Group says Brisbane’s savage hailstorm will cost it up to $170 million.

JBH – JB HI-FI – up 22 cents, or 1.4 per cent, at $16.27

HVN – HARVEY NORMAN – up two cents, or 0.6 per cent, at $3.68

MYR – MYER – down five cents, or three per cent, at $1.615

WESDD – WESFARMERS – up 13 cents, or 0.3 per cent, at $41.77

WOW – WOOLWORTHS – up 37 cents, or 1.2 per cent, at $31.27

Retail spending has risen for a fifth straight month, driven by spending on household goods and in department stores in October.

NUF – NUFARM – up 18 cents, or 4.2 per cent, at $4.52

Agribusiness Nufarm says dry weather across most of Australia has affected sales in the first three months of the company’s fiscal year.

STO – SANTOS – down 35 cents, or 3.9 per cent, at $8.73

Shares in Santos have tumbled after the energy giant said it will slash spending and postpone a capital raising following falls in global oil prices.

VET – VOCATION – down 30.5 cents, or 61 per cent, at 19.5 cents

Education and training group Vocation has slashed its full year earnings forecast.

WOW – WOOLWORTHS – up 37 cents, or 0.4 per cent, at $31.27

HIL – HILLS LTD – up six cents, or five per cent, at $1.25

Woolworths has won the exclusive rights to distribute the famous Hills brand of clotheslines and garden products.