SYDNEY, Dec 20 (Reuters) - Australian stocks are seen broadly flat on Monday as shares may glean support from firmer copper and gold prices but sluggish global markets ahead of the holiday season will be a drag.
* Share price index futures rose 8 points to 4,767, a 3.9 point premium to the underlying S&P/ASX 200 index . The underlying index fell 0.4 percent on Friday, snapping a six-day winning streak.
* Perpetual will be in focus after it ended talks with private equity firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co over a $1.7 billion possible takeover. See
* Crane Group, an Australian plumbing and building supplies firm, will also be watched after it rejected a $740 million takeover offer from New Zealand's Fletcher Building, saying it undervalued the company.
* On Wall Street, the S&P clung to a two-year high on Friday after a 5 percent gain so far in December. The Dow Jones industrial average dropped 7.34 points, or 0.06 percent, to 11,491.91. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index gained 1.03 points, or 0.08 percent, to 1,243.90. The Nasdaq Composite Index rose 5.66 points, or 0.21 percent, to 2,642.97.
* Gold prices turned higher late Friday on safe-haven interest after Moody's downgraded Ireland's credit rating. London Metal Exchange (LME) benchmark copper notched its third consecutive week of gains, helped by bullish demand prospects from China. COMEX copper for March delivery climbed 1 percent on Friday.
* New Zealand's benchmark NZX 50 index was down 0.8 percent at 3,300.4 in early trade.
* Wall Street hovers at highs; profit-taking eyed
* Oil higher as growth hopes offset euro woes
* Gold firms as Europe debt fears drive safety play
* Copper ends up as market eyes 2011 demand boost
For a digest of the day's business stories in Australian newspapers, double click on
((Australia/New Zealand bureaux; +61 2 9373 1800/+64 4 471 4234))
DIARIES & DATA: IPO diary & data Asia earnings diary U.S. earnings diary European diary Australia diary Wall Street Week Ahead Eurostocks Week Ahead ................................................................ For latest top breaking news across all markets ................................................................ TOP NEWS SUMMARIES ON OTHER SUBJECTS | U.S. Companies | European Companies | | Forex | Global Economy | | Tech.Media,Telecoms | Banking, Financials | | Politics & General | Sports | ................................................................ MAJOR STOCK MARKET REPORTS New York Weekly outlook New York Pan-Europe Weekly outlook Europe London Weekly outlook London Tokyo ................................................................ ASIA STOCK MARKETS Pan-Asia...................... Bangkok...... Karachi........ S/east Asia. Bombay....... Kuala Lumpur... Sydney/NZ... China........ Seoul.......... Taipei...... Hong Kong.... Singapore...... Tokyo........ ................................................................ Access to some items may depend on subscription level. ................................................................ UP-TO-THE-MINUTE HEADLINES Company results Economic indicators Mergers & acquisitions Interest rates LIVE PRICES & DATA World Stocks Currency rates Dow Jones/NASDAQ Nikkei FTSE 100 Debt HOW TO FIND INFORMATION YOU NEED | | | | | || | | | LIVE PRICES & DATA: World Stocks Currency rates Dow Jones/NASDAQ Nikkei FTSE 100 Debt Australian dollar LME price overview Keywords: MARKETS AUSTRALIA STOCKS (Multimedia versions of Reuters Top News are now available for: * 3000 Xtra : visit http://topnews.session.rservices.com * BridgeStation: view story .134 For more information on Top News, please visit http://topnews.reuters.com) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2010. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.
* Share price index futures rose 8 points to 4,767, a 3.9 point premium to the underlying S&P/ASX 200 index . The underlying index fell 0.4 percent on Friday, snapping a six-day winning streak.
* Perpetual will be in focus after it ended talks with private equity firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co over a $1.7 billion possible takeover. See
* Crane Group, an Australian plumbing and building supplies firm, will also be watched after it rejected a $740 million takeover offer from New Zealand's Fletcher Building, saying it undervalued the company.
* On Wall Street, the S&P clung to a two-year high on Friday after a 5 percent gain so far in December. The Dow Jones industrial average dropped 7.34 points, or 0.06 percent, to 11,491.91. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index gained 1.03 points, or 0.08 percent, to 1,243.90. The Nasdaq Composite Index rose 5.66 points, or 0.21 percent, to 2,642.97.
* Gold prices turned higher late Friday on safe-haven interest after Moody's downgraded Ireland's credit rating. London Metal Exchange (LME) benchmark copper notched its third consecutive week of gains, helped by bullish demand prospects from China. COMEX copper for March delivery climbed 1 percent on Friday.
* New Zealand's benchmark NZX 50 index was down 0.8 percent at 3,300.4 in early trade.
* Wall Street hovers at highs; profit-taking eyed
* Oil higher as growth hopes offset euro woes
* Gold firms as Europe debt fears drive safety play
* Copper ends up as market eyes 2011 demand boost
For a digest of the day's business stories in Australian newspapers, double click on
((Australia/New Zealand bureaux; +61 2 9373 1800/+64 4 471 4234))
DIARIES & DATA: IPO diary & data Asia earnings diary U.S. earnings diary European diary Australia diary Wall Street Week Ahead Eurostocks Week Ahead ................................................................ For latest top breaking news across all markets ................................................................ TOP NEWS SUMMARIES ON OTHER SUBJECTS | U.S. Companies | European Companies | | Forex | Global Economy | | Tech.Media,Telecoms | Banking, Financials | | Politics & General | Sports | ................................................................ MAJOR STOCK MARKET REPORTS New York Weekly outlook New York Pan-Europe Weekly outlook Europe London Weekly outlook London Tokyo ................................................................ ASIA STOCK MARKETS Pan-Asia...................... Bangkok...... Karachi........ S/east Asia. Bombay....... Kuala Lumpur... Sydney/NZ... China........ Seoul.......... Taipei...... Hong Kong.... Singapore...... Tokyo........ ................................................................ Access to some items may depend on subscription level. ................................................................ UP-TO-THE-MINUTE HEADLINES Company results Economic indicators Mergers & acquisitions Interest rates LIVE PRICES & DATA World Stocks Currency rates Dow Jones/NASDAQ Nikkei FTSE 100 Debt HOW TO FIND INFORMATION YOU NEED | | | | | || | | | LIVE PRICES & DATA: World Stocks Currency rates Dow Jones/NASDAQ Nikkei FTSE 100 Debt Australian dollar LME price overview Keywords: MARKETS AUSTRALIA STOCKS (Multimedia versions of Reuters Top News are now available for: * 3000 Xtra : visit http://topnews.session.rservices.com * BridgeStation: view story .134 For more information on Top News, please visit http://topnews.reuters.com) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2010. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.