Sept 5 (Reuters) - Australian shares were poised to rise on Thursday, supported by gains in the energy sector, after strong economic data from China drove commodity prices and Wall Street stocks higher.
Oil prices climbed as a private survey on Wednesday showed China's services sector expanded in August at its fastest pace in three months. O/R
The Australian share price index futures YAPcm1 gained 0.3% to 6,555.0, a 2-point premium to the underlying S&P/ASX 200 index .AXJO close.
The benchmark lost 0.3% on Wednesday as figures showed the domestic economy grew at its slowest pace in a decade last quarter. Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index .NZ50 inched up 0.1% to 11,018.62 in early trade.