March 31 (Reuters) - Australian shares are expected to open higher for a fourth straight session on Friday, mirroring Wall Street which rose on data showing strengthening economic growth.
Australia's energy and material stocks may also gain as oil prices rise to their highest in three weeks, while copper hit a four-week peak. MET/L O/R
Australia's major trading partner China also posted a trade surplus in the last quarter of 2016, the foreign exchange regulator said on Thursday. local share price index futures YAPcm1 was up 0.15 percent, or 9 points, at 5,889, a 7.2 points discount to the underlying S&P/ASX 200 index .AXJO close.
The benchmark gained 0.4 percent in the previous session after data showed households' net worth rose to a record high, boding well for spending in the face of tepid growth.
New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index .NZ50 was up for a fourth straight session at 0.019 percent, or 1.36 points, to 7,170.47 at 0910 GMT.
For a summary of overnight action across global markets, click on AU/CALL
For a digest of the day's business stories in Australian newspapers, click on PRESS/AUB