Australian shares are off to a bright start in early trade, buoyed by strong trade on Wall Street and possibly heading for a fifth straight day of gains.
Oil prices have risen, hitting three-week highs, supported by strong US demand and comments from Saudi Arabia that it would continue to curb production in line with OPEC-led efforts.
Gold prices have risen as a softer US dollar helped the metal rebound from its biggest weekly loss this year, but moves were muted before the debut congressional testimony by US Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell later this week.
Australian shares have ended higher, with the benchmark index closing above 6,000 points for the first time since February 5, supported by solid company results and rising bank stocks.
Oil prices have risen to their highest in more than two weeks, supported by the shutdown of the El Feel oilfield in Libya and upbeat comments from Saudi Arabia that an OPEC-led effort to cut stockpiles is working.
Gold has eased, heading towards its biggest weekly decline in two-and-a-half months, as the US dollar climbed from last week's three-year low on the back of higher US Treasury yields.
The Australian share market has made solid gains after a strong lineup of company earnings results briefly drove stocks above 6,000 points on Friday before closing just shy of the mark and up 1.6 per cent for the week.
The Australian share market has posted a modest rise as big gains for Qantas, Crown Resorts and Nine Entertainment were partly offset by big ex-dividend retreats for AGL Energy and Woodside Petroleum.
The Australian share market looks set to open around half a per cent higher with Wall Street offering a positive lead despite some of its earlier strong gains ebbing closer to the close.
Oil prices are little changed ahead of data expected to show rising crude inventories in the United States and as the dollar has strengthened from last week's three-year lows.
Gold has dipped further, a day after its biggest daily slide in two-and-a-half months, but briefly bounced higher as the US dollar slipped for a short time after the release of minutes from the US Federal Reserve's January policy meeting.
The Australian share market inched higher as well received financial results from Wesfarmers and a2 Milk were countered by steep falls by heavyweight miners.
Woolworths’ liquor arm has resigned from the Liquor Stores Association of Western Australia, following the association's support for state government plans to restrict the growth of large liquor stores, such as Dan Murphy's and First Choice.
Australian shares are marginally lower in early trade as investors take cues from a decline on Wall Street and local corporate earnings weigh on sentiment.
US crude has risen to a near two-week high on signs of inventory declines at a key storage hub, while Brent eased under pressure from a stronger dollar.
Gold prices have been pressured by a stronger US dollar and rising interest rates, dropping for a third session, but were underpinned by political worries and uncertainty about this week's huge US bond auctions.
Australian shares have ended the day flat with a no-surprises line-up of company profit results failing to fire investor action in the absence of major overseas leads.
The director of a Perth security company has been acknowledged for selling personal assets to provide back pay for staff who were underpaid more than $200,000.
The Australian share market has opened lower in the absence of a lead from US markets, which were shut for a public holiday, leaving local investors with only a negative lead from Europe and Britain.
