SYDNEY, Jan 15 — Australian shares may extend their 3-day fall today as late gains on Wall Street overnight and a spike in oil futures will likely be offset by weak commodity markets and poor US retail sales data.  Copper slid to a 5-1/2-year low yesterday and adding to investor concerns, US retail sales registered their biggest drop in 11 months in December.

Investors can take some solace in a rebound in oil futures, which marked their strongest daily gain in more than two years.  Local share price index futures fell 0.4 per cent to 5,282 points, a 71.6 point discount to the underlying S&P/ASX 200 index. The benchmark fell 1 per cent yesterday.  Australian jobs data is due at 0030 GMT.

New Zealand‘s benchmark NZX 50 index fell 0.3 per cent in early trade. — Reuters