The Aussie market is poised to open little changed later this morning following falls on Wall Street overnight and ahead of the latest RBA rate decision.
The SPI is down six points at 4,996.
China data showed that the world's second-largest economy's manufacturing sector contracted in January at the fastest pace since 2012.
Oil prices fell about six per cent after the China data added to worries about demand and an OPEC source played down talk of an emergency meeting to stem the decline.
In local economic news today, the RBA holds its monthly board meeting and announces its interest rate decision.
The ANZ-Roy Morgan weekly consumer confidence survey and the Dun and Bradstreet business expectations survey are both due out.
In equities space, Navitas is expected to post half year results, while Bitcoin Group is slated to list on the ASX.
Reserve Bank of Australia monthly board meeting and interest rate decision, ANZ-Roy Morgan weekly consumer confidence survey, Dun and Bradstreet business expectations survey, Navitas half year results, Bitcoin Group expected to list on the ASX. Euro zone unemployment data. US auto sales. Earnings: Dow, Exxon, Pfizer, UPS, BP, ADM, Kobe Steel, UBS, LVMH, Ferrari
The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index fell 0.2 per cent after rising 1.6 per cent in January. The euro gained 0.5 per cent to $US1.088, even after a report showed factories in the euro area cut prices of goods by the most in a year in January. The yen held losses against the dollar, trading at 121.26 after slumping as much as 2.3 per cent on Friday to 121.69, its lowest since December 18.
US crude oil prices slid almost 7 per cent, pressured by weak economic data from China, a US forecast for mild weather and growing doubts that OPEC would act to reduce the swelling global supply glut. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) slid to its biggest daily loss in five months, down 6.9 per cent to an intraday low of $US31.29 in volatile afternoon trading. That was still 19.5 per cent higher than the more than 12-year low of $US26.19 hit in mid-January.
Exxon Mobil and BP are set to report their latest quarterly results on Tuesday.
A senior OPEC source told a Saudi Arabian newspaper it was too early to talk about an emergency meeting of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries.
The post Morning market update 2 February, 2016 appeared first on Market Pulse.