Trading of Nifty 50 index futures on the Singapore stock exchange indicates that the Nifty could slump 145.50 points at the opening bell due to poor global cues.

Overseas, Asian shares traded lower Monday following weaker-than-expected Chinese trade data released over the weekend.

China's November exports only rose 5.4% from a year earlier, Chinese customs data showed on Saturday. The customs data showed that annual growth for exports to all of China's major partners slowed significantly. Exports to the United States rose 9.8% in November from a year earlier, compared with 13.2% in October. Import growth was 3%, the slowest since October 2016. Imports of iron ore fell for a second time, reflecting waning restocking demand at steel-mills as profit margins narrow.

US stocks closed sharply lower on Friday as a lack of concrete progress toward reducing US-China trade tensions bolstered risk-off sentiment and overshadowed the November employment report.

Nonfarm payrolls increased by 155,000 for the month while the unemployment rate again held at 3.7%, its lowest since 1969, the Labor Department reported Friday.

Meanwhile, the University of Michigan consumer sentiment index came in at 97.5. Further, consumer credit grew at its fastest pace in 11 months in October, the Federal Reserve reported.

Oil producer club OPEC and some non-affiliated producers agreed a supply cut of 1.2 million barrels per day (bpd) from January. Despite this, the outlook for next year remains muted on the back of an economic slowdown. International Brent crude oil futures were at $62.10 per barrel, up 43 cents.

Closer home, foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) sold shares worth a net Rs 817.40 crore on 7 December 2018, as per provisional data released by the stock exchanges. Domestic institutional investors (DIIs) bought shares worth a net Rs 242.56 crore on 7 December 2018, as per provisional data.

On the political front, market participants are awaiting poll results of five state elections due on 11 December 2018. The outcomes of the assembly elections will likely set the tone for the general elections next year. Voting in Rajasthan and Telangana took place on 7 December 2018. Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh and Mizoram were held on 28 November 2018. The election in Chhattisgarh Assembly was held in two phases on 12 and 20 November 2018. The counting of votes in all the states will be done on 11 December 2018.

On the economic front, India's current account deficit (CAD) increased to US$ 19.1 billion (2.9% of GDP) in Q2 of 2018-19 increased from US$ 6.9 billion (1.1% of GDP) in Q2 of 2017-18 and US$ 15.9 billion (2.4% of GDP) in the preceding quarter. The widening of the CAD on a year-on-year (y-o-y) basis was primarily on account of a higher trade deficit at US$ 50.0 billion as compared with US$ 32.5 billion a year ago.

Local equities logged strong gains on Friday, 7 December 2018, as bargain hunting emerged after three-day slide. The barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, gained 361.12 points or 1.02% to settle at 35,673.25. The Nifty 50 index gained 92.55 points or 0.87% to settle at 10,693.70.