• 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.

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.