Australian shares are set to open lower, after US stocks fell as tensions in the Middle East remain high.
ASX futures were down 0.32% or 27 points as of 8:00am on Friday, suggesting a lower open.
Oil prices jumped and US stock indexes faltered as investors weighed the risk of escalating conflict in the Middle East against signs that the U.S. economy is ticking along.
All three major indexes fell, led by the Dow Jones Industrial Average, which dropped 0.4%. The S&P 500 slipped 0.2%, and the Nasdaq Composite fell less then 0.1%.
In commodity markets, Brent crude oil was up 5.0% to US$77.62 a barrel, while gold was unchanged at US$2,655.55.
The Australian dollar was at 68.39 US cents, up from its previous close of 68.38.