Australian market preview: The Australian market looks set to open higher after Wall Street again rose more than one per cent.
At 0632 AEDT on Friday, the December share price index futures contract was up 54 points at 4,122.
In economic news on Friday, The Australian Industry Group/Housing Industry Association performance of construction index (PCI) for September is released.
In equities news, Bechtel Corporation chairman and CEO Riley Bechtel addresses a Melbourne Mining Club lunch, while Agrium Asia Pacific managing director Philip Gentry is due to address an American Chamber of Commerce in Australia luncheon.
In Australia, on Thursday shares gained about $45 billion in value as the market leaped the most in almost three years on renewed optimism a solution is near for the Eurozone debt crisis.
The benchmark S&P/ASX200 index had reached its highest level since September 21, rising 143.4 points, or 3.65 per cent to 4,069.9 and the broader All Ordinaries index up 139.6 points, or 3.5 per cent, at 4,132.1.
Stocks to watch early on Friday:
APA - APA GROUP - in trading halt after rising 3.5 cents to $4.085
AGK - AGL ENERGY LTD - up 11 cents at $14.43
AGL Energy and APA Group have signed up miner Xstrata and a Queensland Government-owned electricity utility as customers for a new $500 million gas-fired power station at Mt Isa.
FML - FOCUS MINERALS LTD - up 0.1 cents, or 1.64 per cent, at 6.2 cents
CRE - CRESCENT GOLD LTD -steady at five cents
Gold producer Focus Minerals has maintained its production target of more than 200,000 ounces of gold annually after completing its $68 million take-over of Crescent Gold.
LEI - LEIGHTON HOLDINGS LTD - up 89 cents, or 4.73 per cent, at $19.70
Construction firm Leighton Holdings has appointed Manfred Wennemer as a non-executive director effective from October 6.
MCC - MACARTHUR COAL LTD - up nine cents at $15.89
PEAMCOAL extends its Macarthur Coal Ltd take-over offer period to October 28.
PBG - PACIFIC BRANDS LTD - up three cents, or 4.44 per cent, at 70.5 cents
A former worker at clothing manufacturer Pacific Brands says older workers are being discriminated against as the structural change in the economy shifts jobs offshore.
RIO - RIO TINTO LTD - up $2.98, or 4.94 per cent, at $63.28
QAN - QANTAS AIRWAYS LTD - up seven cents, or 5.09 per cent, at $1.445
VBA - VIRGIN BLUE HOLDINGS LTD - up one cent at 31.5 cents
Staff of mining giant Rio Tinto will be flown around the country and around the world on planes sporting either a Flying Kangaroo or red Virgin tail.
Separately, Qantas baggage handlers and ground staff have called off a nationwide strike planned for Friday, the airline says.
Separately, Another threatening email has been sent to a Qantas senior executive, despite the airline's boss Alan Joyce going public about threats on Wednesday.
SGP - STOCKLAND - up two cents at $2.99
Stockland Property Group has welcomed the dropping of legal action against its Caloundra South urban development project on Queensland's Sunshine Coast.
WEB - WEBJET LTD - up nine cents, or 4.66 per cent, at $2.02
Online travel agency Webjet says the value of its ticket sales in the three months to September was up by 25 per cent on the same period last year.
