Lend Lease Corporation (ASX:LLC) is an international group involved in project design, construction and maintenance, property development and property funds management.

LLC operates in over 40 countries, with a significant presence in Australia, Asia, Europe, and the USA.  Lend Lease is listed on the Australian Stock Exchange and is a member of the ASX 200.

LLC today announced the sale of its 75% interest in the Chelmsford Meadow Unit Trust for approximately A$65 million.

The sale of the asset to was to Legal & General property.

CEO & Managing Director Steve McCann, said that the proceeds will be used to develop more significant projects that are currently in the pipeline.

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Lend Lease Corporation (ASX:LLC) is an international group involved in project design, construction and maintenance, property development and property funds management. LLC operates in over 40 countries, with a significant presence in Australia, Asia, Europe, USA and is listed on the Australian Stock Market.

Today Lend Lease’s CEO Steve McCann told the company’s AGM that the outlook for Australia across most of the company’s key sectors remains positive, but weak sentiment in overseas market could impact the business.

Mr McCann did believe that LLC is well placed to deliver growth for security-holders.

Lend Lease also outlined an additional $1.2 billion in infrastructure work in the short term.

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Westfield Group (ASX:WDC)  is the largest retail property group in the world by equity market capitalisation. It has investment interests in 126 shopping centres in Australia, New Zealand and the United States.

Westfield, which is among the blue chip stocks, has released its 3^rd quarter operating update for the nine months to 30 September 2011.

WDC reaffirmed its full year earnings forecast, saying it is seeing growth in all of its markets.

Current full year forecast for distribution per security is 48.4 cents, whilst operational segment earnings are expected to be 74.6 cents per security.

Westfield did outline their new development projects for the next few years with $1.25 Billion to be spent in 2012 and a further $1.5 Billion in 2013.

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Insurance Australia Group (ASX:IAG) is one of the largest general insurers in Australia and New Zealand, providing personal and commercial insurance policies under the brands NRMA Insurance, SGIO, SGIC, CGU, Swann Insurance, State Insurance and NZI.

IAG has been among the shares to sell over the past 12 months due to the natural disasters in Australia and New Zealand.

Today IAG reaffirmed its FY12 insurance margin of 10% – 12%, saying it has been encouraged by the gross written premium growth thus far.

Gross written premium was expected to grow 6% – 9% in the FY12.

The group said it was well capitalised and that it would undertake a NZ$150 million bond offering for general corporate purposes.

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Bank of Queensland (ASX:BOQ) was established way back in 1874 and operates mainly in its home state of Queensland, with operations covering retail financial services and business banking.

It has been one of the shares to sell in recent times due to the macroeconomic headwinds plaguing the financial sector.

Today BOQ reported an FY11 net profit of $158.7 million, down 13% on-year.  The result was impacted by higher bad debts and subdued credit growth.

Underlying profit rose 18% on-year to $447.4 million, helped by a disciplined expense control.  BOQ’s cost-to-income ratio fell 1% to 44.5%.

The group was hit by funding cost pressures in the 2H, but still grew its full year net interest margin by 5 basis points to 1.65%.

BOQ noted FY12 would be turnaround year for the group and that it was confident in the underlyin earnings momentum.

A final dividend of 28 cents was declared.

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Centro Retail (ASX:CER) has decided to purchase Centro Properties Group (ASX:CNP) as it looks to consolidate its assets.

The new group will be called Centro Retail Australia, and is forecast to deliver an FY12 distribution yield of approximately 5%.

CER said the consolidated entity is likely to have the size and scale to enhance long-term value and moderate gearing levels.

The takeover announcement has seen CNP rocket almost 60% so far today, making it one the top performers in the stock market.

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Macquarie Group (ASX:MQG) is Australia’s leading investment bank, and one of the biggest companies in the Australian share market.

MQG has evolved over time into a complex portfolio of businesses which include banking, investment banking, asset management and private equity.

Today MQG cut its 1H12 profit guidance due to difficult trading conditions at a number of its key divisions.

MQG noted that the Macquarie Capital, Macquarie Securities and Fixed Income, Currencies and Commodities businesses were all suffering from the recent market volatility.

1H12 net profit is forecast to be lower than the prior corresponding half’s $403 million result.  However, FY12 earnings were still expected to top FY11 due to an improved second half.

The FY12 outlook was predicated on no further deterioration in market conditions.

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National Australia Bank (ASX:NAB) is one of Australia’s big four banks, whose divisions span retail and business banking, wealth management, capital markets and institutional banking.

It is one the biggest companies in the Australian share market and is widely considered among the blue chip stocks.

Overnight, newspaper reports suggested NAB is in talks to acquire more than 600 Lloyds branches in the UK.

The acquisition would see NAB merge its Clydesdale and Yorkshire bank units with the Lloyds branches, creating a new major UK lender.

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Commonwealth Bank (ASX:CBA) is the nation’s largest bank by market capitalisation, holds the greatest amount of deposits, the most home loans, and also controls a fair chunk of the wealth management market with its Colonial First State behemoth.

It is the second biggest company in the Australian share market, and is widely considered a blue chip stock among investors.

Today, CBA reported a FY11 cash profit of $6.84 billion, up 12% from the prior year.  The profit growth helped return on equity improve to 19.5%.

The result slightly topped analyst estimates of a $6.82 billion profit, whilst its final dividend of $1.88 also came in ahead of expectations.

Net interest margin of 2.19% was up from 2.13% in the FY10, with the group improving its funding mix.

CBA warned that credit growth was likely to remain slow over the next few months and that funding costs could rise due to the recent market turmoil.

The bleak outlook didn’t have a negative impact on CBA shares, which have opened solidly higher.

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Westpac Bank (WBC) is Australia’s oldest bank, operating a significant banking franchise with balance exposures to retail, corporate and institutional sectors.

Following its merger with St George Bank, WBC is not too far behind Commonwealth Bank in the battle to be the biggest in Australia. WBC is also among the market’s leading blue chip stocks.

WBC recently received final approval to open its second branch in China.

The new branch, which will be located in Beijing, follows the 2008 opening of WBC’s first branch in Shanghai.

The group has plans to open a further two branches in China.

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