ASX 200 LIVE: Shares to open with a weak start as investors brace for news about a possible Middle-East peace deal

The Australian sharemarket is set to dip on Monday as investors prepare for fresh evidence that the economy is cooling down and a flurry of central bank speeches for clues on where interest rates are heading next.

ASX 200 LIVE: Shares to open with a weak start as investors brace for news about a possible Middle-East peace deal. The Australian sharemarket is set to dip on Monday as investors prepare for fresh evidence that the economy is cooling down and a flurry of central bank speeches for clues on where interest rates are heading next. Futures for the S&P/ASX 200 Index suggest a softer start to the week, pointing down 13 points, or 0.1 per cent, taking a breather from the biggest rally in nearly two months on Friday. The benchmark ended the month with a modest 0.7 per cent gain, but is still lagging international peers. Meanwhile, stop-start efforts by Tehran and Washington to extend their ceasefire and reopen the Strait of Hormuz will again dominate the market outlook. US President Donald Trump has toughened the terms of a potential framework fo...