Nov 7 (Reuters) - Australian shares are expected to dive for a fifth straight session on Monday as tension heightens a day before the much anticipated U.S. Presidential elections.
The local share price index futures YAPcm1 slipped 0.6 percent, a 56.8-point discount to the underlying S&P/ASX 200 index .AXJO close. The benchmark closed 0.9 percent lower on Friday, the lowest since the end of June.
Earnings results from Westpac Banking Corp WBC.AX may determine the course of financials. Australia's second-biggest bank by market value reported a flat annual profit and lowered its return on equity target amid a challenging environment of lower interest rates and higher funding costs. Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index .NZ50 was flat at 6,706.18 in early trade.
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