Dec 18 (Reuters) - Australian shares are expected to open higher on Monday, ending a two-session losing run, following progress made with U.S. tax reform legislation and metal prices which firmed going into the weekend with copper hitting a three-week high on Friday.
Top U.S. Republicans said on Sunday that they expected Congress to pass a tax code overhaul this week, with a Senate vote as early as Tuesday and President Donald Trump aiming to sign the bill by week's end. local share price index futures YAPcm1 rose 0.7 percent, or 29 points, to 6,037, a 40-point premium to the underlying S&P/ASX 200 index .AXJO close. The benchmark fell 0.2 percent on Friday.
Meanwhile, New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index .NZ50 fell 0.2 percent in early trade.