The Australia 200 CFD Index closed 0.1% firmer, with modest gains among energy and financial names supporting the market.

Overnight, US markets managed to move into positive territory late in the session despite mixed economic reads, a fluctuating US dollar and renewed concerns over further possibly tightening in China after stronger-than-expected inflation data.

US initial jobless claims fell by 6k to 462k - a result that was marginally less than market expectations. The number of people still receiving benefits after an initial week rose by 37k to 4.56 million.

A day of lacklustre trading see's the Australian market close down 6 points.

With little in the way of leads from overseas markets, investors were awaiting the release of jobless figures today, followed by a whole raft of data from China.

Today's jobs report has taken a little shine off the overall market, which was trading up 0.4pct ahead of the release of the economic data.

On Wall St overnight, stocks finished off their highs as a decline in oil prices overshadowed an upbeat report on wholesale inventories and an improvement in the corporate bond market.

US wholesale inventories fell by 0.2pct in January, against expectations of a small build in inventories.

The Australian share market managed to scrape into positive territory for the ninth consecutive session today, the longest winning streak since July 2009.

The Australia 200 CFD Index closed unchanged at 4820, with the materials sector detracting the most points.

On the one year anniversary of the 2009 stock market crash, the Australian share market is attempting to notch up a ninth consecutive day of gains.

Overnight, US stocks advanced on the anniversary of the bear market bottom, although they did finish well off their intraday highs.

China´s passenger car sales totalled 942,900 units in February, up 55.3pct on a year earlier.

The Australian share market managed to notch up an eighth consecutive session of gains today as stronger than expected economic data boosted investor sentiment.

The Australia 200 CFD Index was 0.3% firmer, with gains among industrials and financials boosting the market.

The coal seam sector has been an area of huge trader speculation for some time now given the expected growth in interest from the big emerging economies in fuelling their growth.

After a weak start the Australian share market is trading virtually unchanged from yesterday's close at lunchtime in the East.

In the US overnight, stocks fluctuated either side of the flat line on low volumes as the S&P 500 index struggled to maintain a seven day winning streak.

According to Reuters, the European Union is considering a new rescue fund for euro zone countries to prevent future financial crises. Any plan would require full support by member states.