(Reuters) - Australian shares are set to edge higher on Thursday, likely fuelled by energy stocks as Brent crude surged to a four-year high on upcoming U.S. sanctions on Iran.
Brent crude <LCOc1> touched a high of $86.74 a barrel on Wednesday, as the market rallied despite an unexpected surge in U.S. crude stockpiles and news of higher Saudi Arabian and Russian production.[O/R]
The local share price index futures <YAPcm1> rose 0.2 percent, or 9 points, to 6,152, a 5.9 point premium to the underlying S&P/ASX 200 index <.AXJO> close. The benchmark added 0.3 percent on Wednesday.
New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index <.NZ50> fell 0.3 percent, or 25.15 points, to 9,268.80 at 2109 GMT.
(Reporting by Rashmi Ashok; Editing by Leslie Adler)
