SYDNEY: Australian shares are likely to open relatively flat on Friday as the slump in Chinese stocks is expected to weigh on investors risk sentiment.
Worries over a sustained bond selloff in China bled into the country's stock markets on Thursday, dealing blue chips their worst one-day loss in nearly 18 months, as investors reacted to the government's latest measures to reduce risks in the financial system.
Consumer stocks are expected to be one of the biggest drags on the index as global retail juggernaut Amazon.com Inc's
Australian arm began an order-taking trial on Thursday, giving life to the fanfare which has preceded its arrival.
However, the losses are expected to be capped by gains in the material and energy stocks which are likely to gain from rising prices for oil and metals.
The local share price index futures fell 0.1 percent or 7 points to 5,985, a 1.2-point discount to the underlying S&P/ASX 200 index close. The benchmark fell 0.213 points on Thursday.
New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index rose 0.3 percent or 21.340 points to 8,123.290 in early trade.
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