Australian shares are likely to slip on Thursday, tracking Wall Street's weak finish as a surge in coronavirus cases globally and fading hopes of passage of U.S. fiscal stimulus before elections weighed on sentiment.

The local share price index futures YAPcm1 dropped 0.2% or 15 points, a 33.2-point discount to the underlying S&P/ASX 200 index .AXJO close, as at 2102 GMT. The benchmark slid 0.3% on Wednesday.

New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index .NZ50 fell 0.1% to 12,533.8 in early trade.

Reference by: Investing.com