Australian stock index futures indicate the market will open higher

Australian stock index futures indicate that the last trading day of the week will open higher. Before the opening on Friday, ASX futures rose by about 0.6%, suggesting that the S&P/ASX 200 index is likely to avoid a second consecutive week of decline. The benchmark index had fallen by nearly 0.5% so far this week after closing flat on Thursday. Before the opening, Suncorp announced that it had completed its reinsurance program for the 2027 fiscal year, which is expected to reduce its excess capital. Previous data showed that the country added fewer new jobs in June than economists had expected, and the US stock market showed mixed results. The Dow Jones index rose by 1.1%, the S&P 500 index closed flat, and the Nasdaq Composite index fell by 0.8%.