Aust stocks set to open weaker

The Australian sharemarket looks set to open lower after international bourses extended their declines with investors still concerned over conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine and Argentina's debt default.

At 6.45am (AEST), the September share price index futures contract was down 26 points at 5,473.

In economic news on Monday, Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) releases June's retail trade data. The ANZ job advertisements series for July is also due out, as is the TD Securities-Melbourne Institute inflation gauge, also for July.

No major equities news is expected.

In Australia, the market on Friday retreated on the eve of Australia's company earnings season.

The benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was down 76.5 points, or 1.36%, at 5,556.4 points.

The broader All Ordinaries index was down 75.5 points, or 1.34%, at 5,547.6 points.