Trading of Nifty 50 index futures on the Singapore stock exchange indicates that the Nifty could fall 49.50 points at the opening bell, tracking negative Asian cues.

Overseas, Asian shares were broadly in negative territory on Monday, amid reports over the weekend that the US could be imposing new tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese goods as early as this week.

US stocks ended almost unchanged on Friday, though slight gains were enough to give the S&P 500 its fifth straight positive session.

On the data front, US retail sales rose a scant 0.1% in August, the government said Friday. Meanwhile, the import price index sank 0.6% in August, marking the second straight month and the biggest drop in 2-1/2 years for the cost of goods imported into the country, largely reflecting lower oil prices. A report on industrial production for August showed a rise of 0.4%, the Federal Reserve reported, representing the third monthly increase. Separately, the confidence of Americans in the US economy and their own well-being rose toward the end of summer and stood near a 14-year high. Business inventories rose 0.6% in July.

Closer home, foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) bought shares worth a net Rs 1090.56 crore on 14 September 2018, as per provisional data released by the stock exchanges. Domestic institutional investors (DIIs) bought shares worth a net Rs 115.14 crore on 14 September 2018, as per provisional data.

On the economic front, merchandise exports in August 2018 were $27.84 billion, as compared to $23.36 billion in August 2017, exhibiting a positive growth of 19.21%. In rupee terms, exports were Rs 1,93,624.74 crore in August 2018, as compared to Rs 1,49,398.90 crore in August 2017, registering a positive growth of 29.60%. Imports in August 2018 were $45.24 billion (Rs 3,14,597.54 crore), which was 25.41% higher in dollar terms and 36.34 % higher in rupee terms over imports of $36.07 billion (Rs 2,30,737.96 crore) in August 2017.

The trade deficit for August 2018 was estimated at $17.39 billion as against the deficit of $12.72 billion in August 2017. Taking merchandise and services together, overall trade deficit for April-August 2018-19 is estimated at $ 47.72 billion as compared to $38.95 billion in April-August 2017-18.

India's overall exports (merchandise and services combined) in April-August 2018-19 are estimated to be $221.83 billion, exhibiting a positive growth of 20.70% over the same period last year. Overall imports in April-August 2018-19 are estimated to be $269.54 billion, exhibiting a positive growth of 21.01% over the same period last year.

Meanwhile, the Indian government late on Friday reportedly announced a slew of steps aimed at stemming a steep decline in the rupee, and it left the door open to announcing more measures. After an economic review meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India's finance minister reportedly said the government plans to take measures to cut down non-necessary imports, ease overseas borrowing norms for the manufacturing sector and relax rules around banks raising masala bonds, or rupee-denominated overseas bonds. Jaitley said manufacturing entities will be permitted to make use of external commercial borrowings (ECBs) of up to $50 million with a minimum maturity of one year, down from three years earlier.

The domestic equity market ended with strong gains on Friday, 14 September 2018, as positive global cues boosted investors sentiment. Investors' risk appetite also improved after data showed inflation eased in August, increasing the likelihood that the central bank will keep interest rates on hold in October. The Sensex ended above the psychologically important 38,000 mark. The Sensex surged 372.68 points or 0.99% to settle at 38,090.64. The Nifty 50 index advanced 145.30 points or 1.28% to settle at 11,515.20.