The Australian market looks set to open sharply lower after Wall Street fell overnight, dragged down by plunging commodity prices amid cautious trade following the suicide bombings in Belgium.

The SPI futures are down 36 points, at 5096.

In local economic news today, the Australian Bureau of Statistics is due to release international trade price indexes for the March quarter.

No major equities news is expected.

Key numbers:

• SPI futures down 36pts, 5096
• AUD -1.3% to 75.24 US cents, 84.54 Japanese yen, 67.30 Euro cents and 53.31 British pence
• On Wall St, Dow -0.5%, S&P 500 -0.6%, Nasdaq -1.1%
• In Europe, Stoxx 50 -0.3%, FTSE +0.1%, CAC -0.2%, DAX +0.3%
• In London, BHP -2.6%, Rio -1.2%
• Spot gold -2.2% to $US1220.42 at 3.33pm New York time
• Brent crude -3.2% to $US40.47 at 3.08pm NYC time
• US oil -4.1% to $US39.77
• Iron ore -0.8% at $US57.87

What’s on today:

Local data: Australian jobs data detailed Feb Q, NZ Feb trade balance

Overseas data: Japan March manufacturing PMI; EU Markit manufacturing March PMI, Markit services March PMI, German GfK April consumer confidence; UK retail sales Feb; US durable goods Feb, US Markit manufacturing March PMI, Kansas Fed manufacturing March.

Fed speakers: James Bullard

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