NEW YORK: Australian shares are expected to open flat on Friday as tailwinds in the form of firm prices for oil and metals are largely negated by muted trade in Wall Street stocks.
US stocks were little changed in light trading on Thursday, as technology stocks continued to tread water and offset gains in financials.
Oil prices edged up on Thursday, remaining near 2-1/2-year highs after data showed strong Chinese demand for crude imports and on increased US refining activity, while benchmark copper hit its highest since January 2014.
The local share price index futures fell 0.1 percent, or 5 points, to 6,041, a 47.1-point discount to the underlying S&P/ASX 200 index close. The benchmark added 0.3 percent on Thursday.
New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index meanwhile fell as much as 0.1 percent in early trade on Friday, with the health care and telecommunication services sectors influencing the index's direction the most.
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