Finance news you need to know today

GERMAN Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservative party have scored a convincing victory over their centre-left rivals in a state poll.

HERE are six things making news in business and finance today.

1. SYDNEY — The Australian market looks set to open flat following a late surge in trading last session and a mixed performance on world exchanges. At 0700 AEDT on Monday, the share price futures index was up one point, or 0.02 per cent, at 5,748.

2. SYDNEY — Meanwhile, the Australian dollar is virtually unchanged against its US counterpart after the US dollar pulled back to finish down 0.1 per cent after Republicans pulled Trump’s healthcare bill. The local currency was trading at 76.21 US cents at 0700 AEDT on Monday, from 76.19 on Friday.

3. LONDON — Prime Minister Theresa May will set out how her government plans to restore sovereignty over Britain’s laws on Thursday, publishing a detailed paper on ending “the supremacy of EU lawmakers”.

4. HONG KONG — A Beijing-backed civil servant, Carrie Lam, has been chosen to be Hong Kong’s next leader amid accusations that Beijing is meddling and denying the financial hub a more populist leader perhaps better able to defuse political tension.

5. BERLIN — German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservative party have scored a convincing victory over their centre-left rivals in a state poll seen as the first test ahead of national elections.

6. WELLINGTON — China’s premier has arrived in New Zealand for talks at a time that both countries are pushing to expand free trade.