The Australian market looks set to open lower after a mixed lead from the US where stocks gave up early gains on firm bank earnings and a rise in consumer confidence on Friday with worries about the new earnings season clouding optimism.

At 0635 AEDT on Monday, the December share price index futures contract was down 13 points at 4,475.

In economic news on Monday, the Australian Bureau of Statistics is due to release August’s housing finance figures plus October’s new motor vehicle sales data.

In equities news, Roy Hill chief executive Barry Fitzgerald is due to speak at the Mines and Money Conference 2012 in Sydney while Goodman Group is scheduled to release its annual report.

In Australia, the market on Friday finished slightly higher as investors moved back into iron ore-focused stocks amid softness in other sectors.

The benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was up 3.1 points, or 0.07 per cent, at 4,486.6 points, while the broader All Ordinaries index was 4.9 points, or 0.11 per cent, higher to 4,510.1 points.