Australia shares seen higher, resources sector to lead

SYDNEY, April 27 (Reuters) - Australian stocks are set to

open higher on Monday as firmer iron ore prices and a strong

finish on Wall Street puts the market on track to test the 6,000

barrier.

Australia's local stock index futures rose 0.4

percent to 5,962.0, a 28.7-point premium to the close of the

underlying S&P/ASX 200 index on Friday. The benchmark

jumped 1.5 percent in the last session to post its best

performance in five weeks.

Since hitting 5,996.9 in early March, the index has

repeatedly failed to break the key psychological barrier and

six-year peak of 6,000.

The heavyweight resources sector is expected to lead gains

after U.S. ADRs of global miner BHP Billiton (NYSE: BBL - news) ended

nearly 2 percent higher on Friday.

Iron ore prices jumped 6 percent on Friday to

$57 a tonne, the highest since mid-March.

New Zealand markets are closed for a public holiday.

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(Reporting by Cecile Lefort; Editing by Richard Pullin)