Trading of Nifty 50 index futures on the Singapore stock exchange indicates that the Nifty could fall 2 points at the opening bell.

On the macro front, India's industrial production (base year 2011-12=100) increased at improved pace of 2.4% in December 2018, compared with 0.3% growth recorded in November 2018. The industrial production growth for November 2018 has been revised downwards from 0.5% increase reported provisionally. The data was released by government after market hours yesterday, 12 February 2019.

The all-India general CPI inflation eased to 2.05% in January 2019 (new base 2012=100), compared with 2.11% in December 2018. The corresponding provisional inflation rate for rural area was 1.29% and urban area 2.91% in January 2019 as against 1.50% and 2.91% in December 2018. The core CPI inflation eased to 5.36% in January 2019 compared with 5.66% in December 2018. The data was released by government after market hours yesterday, 12 February 2019.

Overseas, Asian stocks nudged higher on Wednesday, lifted by optimism that the United States and China might be able to hammer out a deal to resolve their nearly year-long trade dispute. US stock indexes closed at their highest levels for 2019 on Tuesday after lawmakers reached a tentative deal to prevent a government shutdown and as optimism grew over a potential trade deal between the U.S. and China.

Democratic and Republican lawmakers reached a deal late Monday to avert another government closure after GOP negotiators agreed to a border-security deal that will involve far less money for an extension of the southern U.S. border wall than President Donald Trump has been demanding.

Bilateral trade negotiations entered a second day in Beijing, with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer due to arrive Thursday for more high-level discussions.

Back home, key equity benchmarks declined for the third straight trading session yesterday, 12 February 2019. The Sensex fell 241.41 points or 0.66% to settle at 36,153.62, its lowest closing level since 30 January 2019.

The trading activity on that day showed that the foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) sold shares worth a net Rs 466.78 crore yesterday, 12 February 2019, as per provisional data released by the stock exchanges. Domestic institutional investors (DIIs) sold shares worth a net Rs 122.64 crore yesterday, 12 February 2019, as per provisional data.