Jan 7 (Reuters) - Australian shares are set to open higher on Tuesday, as energy and mining stocks continue to lift the benchmark, amid rising tensions in the Middle East after a U.S. air strike killed a top Iranian military commander.
Oil prices edged higher and gold prices strengthened in safe haven buying, as fears of a wider conflict in the Middle East intensified following the attack last week.
The local share price index futures YAPcm1 rose 0.45%, a 32.7-point discount to the underlying S&P/ASX 200 index .AXJO close. The benchmark inched 0.03% higher on Monday.
New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index .NZ50 slipped 0.06% by 2125 GMT.