Australian investors had to look further back than usual for a guide on price setting on Tuesday as the United States and United Kingdom share markets were closed overnight.
Europe provided the signals needed for the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) with futures trading indicating the market benchmark is poised to rise on opening.
At 8 am AEST (10 pm GMT on Monday), the S&P/ASX 200 June share price index contract was quoted 20 points above the previous settlement of 8,411 points.
In Europe, the DAX index in Germany jumped by 1.7%, the CAC 40 in France gained 1.2% while the pan-European STOXX 600 index closed 1% higher on Monday.
The London Stock Exchange was closed for the Spring Bank Holiday while the U.S. market was closed for Memorial Day.
The ASX finished almost steady on Monday with the S&P/ASX 200 Index closing at 8,361 points amid continued investor caution about the outlook for United States tariffs on trading partners including the European Union (EU).
President Donald Trump extended the deadline for tariffs on the 27-nation bloc to 9 July from June 1 after Commission President Ursula von der Leyen asked for more time to make a deal.
ALS (ASX: ALQ) and Findi (ASX: FND) are expected to release earnings results today while Newmont (ASX: NEW) shares trade ex-dividend and Neuren Pharmaceuticals (ASX: NEU) hosts an annual general meeting.
Other stocks in focus may include uranium miners Boss Energy (ASX: BOE), Deep Yellow (ASX: DYL) and Paladin Energy (ASX: PDN), which have risen strongly since Trump signed an executive order aimed at revitalising the U.S. nuclear energy industry.
In the fixed interest market, yields reversed with 10-year and two-year Australian Government rates dropping by 1.67% and 0.18% to 4.306% and 3.359% respectively.
