Trading of Nifty 50 index futures on the Singapore stock exchange indicates that the Nifty could rise 9.50 points at the opening bell.

Overseas, Asian stocks were mixed driven by uncertainty surrounding trade relations between the world's two largest economies. US stock closed mostly higher Wednesday, though the Dow Jones Industrial Average posted its seventh consecutive daily decline.

The US current-account deficit increased to $124.1 billion (preliminary) in the first quarter of 2018 from $116.1 billion (revised) in the fourth quarter of 2017, according to statistics released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). The deficit was 2.5% of current-dollar gross domestic product (GDP) in the first quarter, up from 2.4% in the fourth quarter.

Existing-home sales ran at a seasonally-adjusted annual 5.43 million rate in May, down 0.4% from April, the National Association of Realtors said Wednesday.

Closer home, foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) sold shares worth a net Rs 2442.61 crore yesterday, 20 June 2018, as per provisional data released by the stock exchanges. Domestic institutional investors (DIIs) bought shares worth a net Rs 1473.65 crore yesterday, 20 June 2018, as per provisional data.

Key benchmark indices logged modest gains yesterday, 20 June 2018, as global stocks rose as the panic surrounding a potential global trade war showed signs of easing. The barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, gained 260.59 points or 0.74% to settle at 35,547.33. The Nifty 50 index rose 61.60 points or 0.58% to settle at 10,772.05.