The Australian stock market is set to decline on overall negative leads from offshore trading over the weekend. Wall Street indices were slightly weaker, and most metals and oil also were down.

On the Sydney Futures Exchange Saturday morning, the September share price index contract lost 50 points at 4380 points. The major local indices closed about 1.3 per cent stronger on Friday.

In economics news today, data on sales of new motor vehicles for July is expected from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

In equities news, annual results from BlueScope Steel, Centennial Coal Company, Leighton Holdings, Lend Lease Group, and Newcrest Mining are scheduled for release.

Atlas Iron and Sundance Resources are slated to hold general meetings to endorse the appointment of directors that will replace the board members killed in the Congo plane crash on June 19.

Founder and owner of the Franchise Entertainment Group Paul Uniacke speaks at a Sydney conference with Danny Kaye, global chief executive officer of 20th Century Fox, about the future of the industry.

Last Friday, the Australian bourse ended more than 1 per cent stronger after a three days of decline. The share market was buoyed by the mining and energy sectors.

The benchmark S&P/ASX200 index finished 58.7 points or 1.33 per cent higher at 4459.6 points. The broader All Ordinaries index, meanwhile, added 58.5 points or 1.32 per cent to reach 4480.9 points.