Australian shares are expected to open firmer on Monday buoyed by U.S. stimulus talks gathering momentum as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi reiterated the need for a round of aid as soon as possible.

The local share price index futures YAPcm1 rose 0.3% or 18 points, a 12-point premium to the underlying S&P/ASX 200 index .AXJO close, as at 2144 GMT. The benchmark slipped 0.1% on Friday.

Markets in New Zealand were closed for a holiday.

Reference by: Investing.com