Sept 4 (Reuters) - Australian shares are likely to edge up on Monday, tracking Wall Street's modest gains Friday after a tepid U.S. jobs report tamped down expectations of another interest rate hike this year, and getting an extra boost from strong commodity prices.
The U.S. Labor Department said on Friday nonfarm payrolls increased by 156,000 last month, against economists' forecast of an increase of 180,000. Job growth slowed in August after two straight months of robust increases. are expected to push the index further in the black, as Chinese rebar steel futures rose as much as 6 percent on Friday, buoyed by signs of strong industrial outlook in top metals consumer China. IRONORE/
The local share price index futures YAPcm1 rose 0.04 percent or 24 points to 5725, a 0.4 premium to the underlying S&P/ASX 200 index .AXJO close. The benchmark rose 0.2 percent.
New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index .NZ50 rose 0.06 percent in early trade.