April 9 (Reuters) - Australia shares were expected to drop on Monday, under pressure after Wall Street shed about 2 percent on intensifying fears of a trade war between the United States and China. On Friday, the Dow slid more than 570 points, as U.S. President Donald Trump's latest tariff threat on Chinese imports fueled increasing concern and Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said the U.S. central bank will likely need to keep hiking interest rates to keep inflation under control. The local share price index futures fell 0.6 percent, or 33 points, to 5,739, as at close on April 7, a 49.7-point discount to the underlying S&P/ASX 200 index close. The benchmark ended flat on Friday. New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index fell 0.4 percent in early trade. (Reporting by Karthika Suresh Namboothiri in Bengaluru; Editing by David Gregorio)