The Australian market looks set to lower after a rocky night on Wall Street following terrorist attacks in Belgium.

The SPI is down seven points at 5,156.

Locally, no major economic news is expected on Wednesday.

In equities news, Nufarm, Sigma Pharmaceuticals, Brickworks and Washington H Soul Pattinson are expected to post half year results while Programmed Maintenance Services has shareholders vote on the proposed Skilled Group takeover.

Key Numbers:

• SPI futures down 7pts or 0.1% to 5156 at about 7.05am Sydney time
• AUD +0.6% to 76.21 US cents, 85.55 Japanese yen, 67.92 Euro cents and 53.6 British pence
• On Wall St, Dow -0.2%, S&P 500 -0.1%, Nasdaq +0.3%
• In Europe, Stoxx 50 +0.1%, FTSE +0.1%, CAC +0.1%, DAX +0.4%
• In London, BHP -0.3%, Rio -1%
• Spot gold +0.3% to $US1247.15 at 1.36pm New York time
• Brent crude +0.5% to $US41.76 at 1.11pm New York time
• Iron ore slips 0.8% to $US58.36 per tonne

What’s on today

Local data: DEWR skilled Feb vacancies

Overseas data: EU March consumer confidence; US Feb new home sales, EIA petroleum status report.

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