The Reserve Bank of Australia is expected to keep key interest rates at a record low of 1pc later in the day, though it will likely cut them again two more times this year to support a sputtering economy, a Reuters poll showed.

The local share price index futures fell 0.2pc to 6,537.0, a 42.4-point discount to the underlying S&P/ASX 200 index close. The benchmark fell 0.4pc on Monday. New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index was little changed at 10,794.48 in early trade.