Australian market set to open lower

THE Australian market looks set to open lower after a mixed overnight session on Wall Street.

In Australia, the market on Thursday was pushed lower.

THE Australian market looks set to open lower after a mixed overnight session on Wall Street.

At 0645 AEST on Friday, the share price futures index was down 11 points at 5,358.

The S&P 500 and Dow Jones ended virtually flat, but the Nasdaq was down about half a per cent, with Apple the heaviest drag on the three major indexes as it slumped 2.35 per cent to its lowest price since June 2014.

Locally, in economic news on Friday, the ABS releases its lending finance figures for March, revealing how many new loans of all types were taken out in the month.

Energy firm Oil Search holds its annual general meeting in Port Moresby.

In Australia, the market on Thursday was pushed lower as falls in Westpac and AMP outweighed patchy gains in resources and retailers.

The benchmark S&P/ASX200 index closed down 13 points, or 0.24 per cent, at 5,359.3 points.

The broader All Ordinaries index was down 11.4 points, or 0.21 per cent, at 5,423.4 points.