MELBOURNE, July 14 (Reuters) - Australian shares may open lower on Thursday after five straight days of gains, as the market digests weaker than expected June trade data from China, Australia's biggest trading partner, and a slide in oil prices.
Local share price index futures YAPcm1 inched up 0.1 percent but finished at a 31.5-point discount to the underlying S&P/ASX 200 index .AXJO . The benchmark rose 0.7 percent to 5,388.5 on Wednesday.
New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index .NZ50 rose 16 points, or 0.2 percent, to 7,080.32 in early trade.
Woodside Petroleum WPL.AX will be in the frame after announcing a $350 million acquisition of stakes in "world-class" oil finds off Senegal from ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP) COP.N . deal may initially drive down Australian explorer FAR Ltd's FAR.AX share price, which owns a 15 percent stake in the same fields, as Woodside is paying less than FAR's market capitalisation for a 35 percent interest in the fields.
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