Australian shares were poised to decline on Wednesday, tracking Wall Street indexes which retreated from record highs overnight, as uncertainty over additional U.S. pandemic aid checks weighed on sentiment.

The U.S. House of Representatives has dapproved $2,000 coronavirus aid checks, raising stimulus payments from $600, but it remained unclear whether the U.S. Senate would give its nod for the bump-up.

The local share price index futures fell 0.48pc, a 96.3-point discount to the underlying S&P/ASX 200 index close.

The benchmark closed 0.5pc higher on Tuesday.

New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index inched up 0.1pc by 2122 GMT, after closing at a record high on Tuesday.