Australia shares seen inching up, results dominate
Australian shares are poised to open a touch higher, bolstered by the top miners after iron ore prices rose, while investors will be digesting earnings results from two of the market's biggest stocks, National Australia Bank and Telstra Corp.
* Local share price index futures inched up 0.1 percent to 4,890, a 31-point discount to the underlying S&P/ASX 200 index close. The benchmark rose 0.8 percent on Wednesday.
* New Zealand's benchmark NZX 50 index rose 0.1 percent to 4,216.3 in early trade.
* US stocks ended mostly flat on Wednesday, taking another pause in the recent rally that has driven the S&P 500 to five-year highs, as transportation and technology shares lost ground.
* Copper dipped in a second day of modest losses as the dollar strengthened and physical demand in China was sluggish ahead of next week's Lunar New Year holidays.
* Top lender National Australia Bank reported a 4 percent rise in first-quarter cash earnings, boosted by rising revenues and a fall in bad debts.
* Top phone company Telstra Corp posted an 8.8 percent rise in first-half net profit, bolstered by growth in its mobiles business.
* Wagering group Tabcorp reported a first-half net profit of A$72.9 million, and warned operating expenses were expected to increase by around 2 percent in the second half.
* Wall Street ends flat as investors pull back
* Brent rises, US crude dips on inventory build
* Gold quietly higher; ECB meeting, equities eyed
* Copper slips for 2nd day on firm dlr, weak demand
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