[SYDNEY] Australian shares are seen with a cautious start on Tuesday following an uninspired Wall Street session with energy shares likely to be pressured by sliding oil prices.

The local share price index futures traded at the same level as the close of the underlying S&P/ASX 200 index on Monday.

The benchmark rose nearly 1 per cent in the last session, having touched its highest in four weeks.

The focus will be on the Reserve Bank of Australia with the outcome of its monthly policy meeting at 0330 GMT. All 32 economists polled by Reuters expect interest rates to remain steady at a record low of 2.0 per cent where they have been since May of last year.

New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index were a touch firmer in early trade.

REUTERS