SYDNEY, Aug 18 (Reuters) - Australian shares could open higher on Tuesday following a positive lead from Wall Street, while investors will be studying a slew of company earnings.
Upbeat results and a higher dividend payout could boost QBE Insurance Group QBE.AX , while shares in Asciano AIO.AX will also be closely watched after the board of the rail freight firm approved a takeover offer by Canada's Brookfield Infrastructure Group.
Australia and New Zealand Banking Group ANZ.AX reported a 4 percent rise in its unaudited cash profit for the nine months to end-June even as its bad debt charge climbed 13 percent.
Pointing to a positive start for the wider market, share price index futures YAPcm1 rose 0.2 percent to 5,313.0, a 54.7-point discount to the underlying S&P/ASX 200 index .AXJO . The benchmark index edged up 0.2 percent on Monday.
New Zealand's benchmark NZX 50 index climbed 0.1 percent, or 5.0 points, to 5,732.4 in early trade.
U.S. stocks rose after strong economic data boosted the housing sector and as investors bought recently battered shares in biotech and media.