Company Interview / the open: ASX to open flat while oil dips to a near five-year low

The local market is set to open marginally higher, with ASX futures up 0.1%, whilst global equities fell overnight as investors assessed the latest US jobs data. 

Mixed jobs reports saw Wall Street's main indices slip, although the Nasdaq reversed course towards the close, while all S&P 500 sectors declined apart from tech. Tesla led the gains there with its share price hitting a record, surpassing its prior all-time high reached almost a year ago.

Nonfarm payrolls increased by 64,000 jobs last month, while the unemployment rate climbed to a more than four-year high of 4.6%. US data retail sales in October were flat with core sales which excludes cars, fuel, building materials and food services surged 0.8% in October. And the S&P manufacturing PMI remains in expansion but fell with the services PMI also falling.

Oil prices have fallen below $60 a barrel, the lowest level since May, as prospects for a Russia-Ukraine peace deal appeared to strengthen. The US dollar index is down 0.2% on the day, and the Australian dollar is trading at US66.4 cents.