Australian shares eye stronger open on miners; NZ flat

• Australian shares were likely to open higher on Thursday with heavyweight mining stocks.
• The local share price index futures rose 0.5pc.
• New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index was flat at the open.

Australian shares were likely to open higher on Thursday with heavyweight mining stocks set to gain on robust commodity prices, while strength in Wall Street was also expected to carry over.

The local share price index futures rose 0.5pc or 33 points to 6,679.0, a 5.9-point remium/discount to the underlying S&P/ASX 200 index close, which ended flat on Wednesday.

New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index was flat at the open.