Australian shares were little changed, hovering around 8,731 in early deals on Wednesday after gaining in the prior three sessions. Retail trade, industrial services, and consumer durables provided modest support, but weakness in tech and financials kept the index flat. Traders digested September industry updates showing a sharp drop in construction output and further weakness in manufacturing, while awaiting August building permit figures later today and October inflation expectations in coming days. U.S. futures were subdued after Wall Street closed at fresh record highs overnight, buoyed by easing Treasury yields and optimism around AI-driven earnings. China’s markets remain shut and will reopen Thursday. Among local movers, Northern Star Resources jumped 3.4%, Evolution Mining rose 2.0%, Capricorn Metals gained 2.6%, and Perseus Mining added 2.3%. Meanwhile, three of the four big banks slipped between 0.3% and 0.8%, BHP fell 0.7%, and Rio Tinto dropped 0.6%.