The Aussie market will open higher later this morning, after Wall Street rose more than one per cent overnight amid company mergers and optimism central banks will support growth.

The June SPI futures contract is up 42 points, at 5893.

The US markets responded to Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen on Friday saying the central bank would probably raise its interest rate this year while China’s central bank chief overnight said the government could do more to support growth in the world’s second biggest economy.

In local economic today, the Reserve Bank of Australia will release financial aggregates data, and the Roy Morgan weekly consumer confidence survey is due out, as is the Housing Industry Association’s new home sales figures.

The Harper Review into competition will be released in Canberra.

In equities news, a2 Milk, software firm Touch Corp and Genetic Signatures, a developer of diagnostic tests for infectious diseases, list on the ASX.

Key numbers:

• SPI futures up 42 points to 5893
• AUD at 76.41 US cents, 91.92 Japanese yen, 70.68 Euro cents and 51.65 British pence
• In late trade, S&P 500 +1.3%, Dow +1.6%, Nasdaq +1.1%
• In Europe, Stoxx 50 +1.3%, FTSE +0.5%, CAC +1%, DAX +1.8%
• Spot gold down $US12.57 or 1.1% to $US1185.98 an ounce
• Iron ore alips 0.9% to $US52.69 per tonne
• Brent oil down 20 US cents or 0.4% to $US56.21 a barrel

What’s on today:

Australia weekly consumer confidence index, private sector credit, new home sales; US Case Shiller home prices, ADP national employment figures; UK GDP.

Stocks to watch:

Trading ex dividend today: AP Eagers, ARB Corp, BPS Technology, Genesis Energy, Lycopodium, Metlifecare, SG Fleet, Sealink Travel Group, Sigma Pharmaceuticals, Virtus Healthcare.

Commonwealth Bank upgraded Bank of Queensland to “overweight” with a price target of $14.50, up from $12.30 a share previously.

Deutsche Bank retains a “buy” on James Hardie Industries and a target price of $18.55 a share.

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