ASX set for tentative start Australian shares are expected to open flat after world markets were mixed on results on blue-chip companies from both sides of the Atlantic and renewed concerns about the slowing pace of growth in China weighed on investor sentiment. On the ASX24, the SPI futures contract was 3 points lower to 4990. The Aussie dollar has rebounded from yesterday's losses as the US dollar slipped. It was recently buying 92.54 US cents, up from a low yesterday of 91.32 US cents. It was also buying 91.8 yen, 69.79 euro cents and 60.1 British pence. SPI futures are 3 points lower at 4990 The $A is higher at 92.54 In New York, the S&P500 was 0.26% higher at 1690.25 In Europe, the FTSE100 lost 0.49% to 6587.95 China iron ore was flat at $US132.10 a metric tonne Gold added $US9.30 to $US1,328.80 an ounce WTI crude oil added gained 38 cents, or 0.4% to $105.77 a barrel Reuters/Jefferies CRB index lost 0.3% to 286.9 Alinta Energy Group extraordinary general meeting James Hardie date payable G.U.D. Holdings full yer results Panaust quarterly production data Newcrest cut to hold at Deutsche Bank Westpac raised to outperform at Macquarie Ausenco cut to neutral at JPMorgan OZ Minerals cut to neutral vs buy at Citi Atlas Iron cut to neutral at JPMorgan McMillan Shakespeare cut to sell at Citi Stockland upgraded to buy at UBS US stocks closed higher as soaring Facebook shares were up 30 per cent, boosting sentiment. Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.08% to 15,555,45 Standard & Poor's 500 added 0.26% to 1,690.31 Nasdaq Composite added 0.71% to 3,605.19 European stock markets slid, dragged down by a string of disappointing company earning reports, analysts said. London's FTSE 100 lost 0.49% to 6,587.95 Frankfurt's DAX 30 lost 0.96% to 8,298.98 In Paris the CAC 40 lost 0.17% to 3,956.02 Asian markets slipped after a sell-off on Wall Street fuelled by US housing data that raised concerns about the Federal Reserve's stimulus program. Japan's Nikkei lost 1.14% to 14,562.93 Hong Kong's Hang Send lost 0.31% to 21,900.96 China's Shanghai lost 0.60% to 2,021.17 US benchmark West Texas Intermediate for September delivery rose 10 cents to $US105.49 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange on Thursday European benchmark Brent oil added 46 cents at $US107.65 a barrel on the Intercontinental Exchange in London Gold for August delivery, the most active contract, on Thursday settled $US9.30, or 0.7 per cent, higher, at $US1,328.80 a troy ounce on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange At the PM kerb close on Thursday, LME three-month copper was down 0.6 per cent at $US7,010 a metric ton Aluminum was down 1.4 per cent at $US1,823.50 a ton The Australian share market ended the day flat as resources stocks were hit by weaker metals prices and financial stocks rose. The benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was up 0.5 points, or 0.01 per cent, at 5,035.6. The broader All Ordinaries index was down 3.5 points, or 0.07 per cent, at 5,018.3.