News: AIO Australia shares poised for soggy start, NZ touch firmer

SYDNEY, Feb 24 (Reuters) - Australian shares are set for a difficult start on Wednesday following a negative lead from Wall Street, with energy stocks likely to be hit by a renewed slide in oil prices.

Pointing to a soft open, share price index futures YAPcm1 fell 0.6 percent to 4,916.0, a 63.6-point discount to the underlying S&P/ASX 200 index (xjo). The benchmark ended 0.43 percent lower on Tuesday, reversing from a three-week peak.

A flood of corporate earnings will be closely watched as well. Among those that have just announced their results were Asciano (AIO) and Wesfarmers (WES).

The mood was slightly better across the Tasman Sea with New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index (nz50) up 0.22 percent, or 13.56 points, at 6,189.23.