Market watch:

Market Highlights

SPI futures up 4 points at about 6.30am AEDT

AUD flat at 71.63 US cents

On Wall St at 2.36pm: Dow +0.2% S&P 500 -0.2% Nasdaq flat

In Europe: Stoxx 50 +0.6% FTSE +0.7% CAC +0.7% DAX +08%

Spot gold +0.2% to $US1343.83 an ounce at 1.47pm New York time

Brent crude +1% to $US67.13 a barrel

US oil +1.8% to $US57.10 a barrel

Iron ore -1.4% to $US88.00 a tonne

Dalian iron ore +0.4% to 624 yuan

LME aluminium +0.7% to $US1868 a tonne

LME copper +1.4% to $US6405 a tonne

2-year yield: US 2.50% Australia 1.70%

5-year yield: US 2.47% Australia 1.72%

10-year yield: US 2.65% Australia 2.10% Germany 0.10%

US-Australia 10-year yield gap at 6.38am AEDT: 55 basis points

Overseas data: Japan Nikkei manufacturing PMI February; Euro zone January CPI, Markit manufacturing and services PMIs February; US Phill Fed February, Markit PMIs February, Leading index February