Feb 21 (Reuters) - Australian shares are seen inching lower at the open on Tuesday, with company results likely to direct trading through the day.
The world's biggest miner by market value, BHP Billiton (LON:BLT) BHP.AX , will be reporting first half results later in the day. The company has been struggling to find a way forward after a 12-day strike at its Chilean copper mine Escondida. local share price index futures YAPcm1 fell 0.1 percent, a 47.09-point discount to the underlying S&P/ASX 200 index .AXJO close. The benchmark fell 0.2 percent on Monday.
New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index .NZ50 was flat in early trade.
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