The Aussie market is poised to open higher later this morning, buoyed by gains on Wall Street overnight.

U.S. stocks climbed to session highs after the minutes from the Federal Reserve October policy meeting confirmed that a majority of policy makers were open to a rate hike in December.

The December SPI futures contract is currently up 49 points, at 5180.

There is no major local economic news expected today.

In the equities space, James Hardie is expected to post half year results.

Key Numbers:

– SPI futures up 49pts to 5180

– AUD at 70.93 US cents, 87.51 Japanese yen, 66.60 British pence and 46.54 British pence

– On Wall St, late, S&P 500 +1.3%, Dow +1.2%, Nasdaq +1.5pc

– In Europe, Stoxx 50 -0.6%, FTSE +0.2%, CAC -0.6%, DAX flat

– In London, Rio +2.1%, BHP +0.4%

– Spot gold dips 29 US cents to $US1070.01/oz

– Brent crude up 64 US cents or 1.5% to $US44.21/bbl

– Iron ore +1.7% to US$46.35 dry metric tonne

What’s on today

Australia jobs data; Bank of Japan monetary policy decision, Japan trade date (Oct); ECB publishes Oct meeting notes, UK retail sales (Oct); US Intel hosts investors meeting, US Philly Fed report (Nov), US weekly jobless claims, US leading indicators (Oct)

BHP Billiton annual general meeting

Earnings: Best Buy, Intuit, Gap, ThyssenKrupp

Stocks in focus

The world’s biggest explosives maker, Orica, is expecting its earnings to lift slightly in 2016 with further improvement the following year after it dived into the red in 2015 following a $1.69 billion write down.

BHP Billiton, which had stubbornly closed above $20 in recent sessions ended Wednesday below that point for the first time since 2008, slumping 2.8 per cent to $19.81 and capping off a miserable fortnight ahead of Thursday’s annual general meeting.

Online foreign exchange company OzForex Group has had a preliminary takeover approach, as revealed by Street Talk Online on Wednesday.

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