Australian shares are set to open slightly down as oil prices surged following comments from Donald Trump about imposing a 20% toll on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.Brent crude jumped 9% to over $83 per barrel, while ASX 200 futures fell 0.1% to 8775.

Traders are split on the likelihood of a US interest rate hike, with Fed governor Christopher Waller indicating policymakers may need to raise rates if inflation remains elevated.Tech stocks like Micron and Nvidia fell over 3%, while gold prices rose 0.1% to $4,002.45 an ounce.On Wall Street, the Dow Jones dropped 0.3%, the S&P 500 fell 0.8%, and the Nasdaq declined 1.6%.The article also mentions a $12.6 billion merger between Genesis and Vault, and highlights ongoing economic indicators like consumer confidence and business surveys.Market analysts note the mixed performance reflects global uncertainties, with energy prices and geopolitical tensions playing key roles.