The ASX kicked things off in the red ahead of a blockbuster week on Wall Street.
Both the ASX 200 and the All Ords gave up 0.6% just before lunchtime, trading at 7,172 and 7,360 points, respectively.
Meanwhile, a late selloff in New York had all four major indices seeing red on Friday.
The S&P tracked its first weekly decline in three weeks, while the Russell 2000 dipped 1.2%.
In commodity news, oil continues its turbulent trading pattern, finishing nearly flat following a choppy session at the weekend.
But gold continues to rally, gaining 0.4% to trade at US$1,809 on Friday, while iron ore has hit the US$110/tonne benchmark.
Looking at today’s top stories, Tyro Payments has dropped 20% after closing takeover negotiations.
The payments platform was in talks with Big Four bank Westpac and private equity firm Potentia.
In other news, St Barbara will join forces with Genesis Minerals (ASX:GMD) to create a new mining stalwart known as Hoover House.
The gold miners will deliver a new strategic plan and five-year outlook once the merger concludes late next year.
On the small cap front, Skyfii has secured US$2 million in contract wins as Christmas travel ramps up.
And Emmerson Resources has found up to 109 g/t gold near the historical Golden Forty Mine in Tennant Creek.