Domestic bourses are likely to see a gap-down opening on weak global cues. Trading of Nifty 50 index futures on the Singapore stock exchange indicates that the Nifty could slide 72 points at the opening bell.

Overseas, Asian stocks were trading lower as investors re-evaluated their optimism around the ‘Trump trade.' In Japan, exports rose at the sharpest rate in two years in February as demand from China and other parts of Asia jumped, underpinning a modest but continuing recovery in the world's third-largest economy. Merchandise exports grew 11.3% in value terms from a year earlier to 6.347 trillion yen, after increasing 1.3% in January, according to data released yesterday, 21 March 2017 by the Ministry of Finance.

US stocks sank yesterday, 21 March 2017 as the Dow and the Nasdaq logged their worst daily drops since September, while the S&P 500 also tumbled the most in a single session in five months on concerns about US president Donald Trump's ability to push through major reforms.

Shares have been broadly stronger globally since the US presidential elections, buoyed by Donald Trump's talk of reforming the tax system and investing in infrastructure. However, a series of recent roadblocks ahead of the coming vote to dismantle the Affordable Care Act is seeing the market question Trump's ability to deliver on his policy promises, and triggered a pullback.

Back home, key benchmark indices settled with small losses after witnessing intraday recovery in what was a volatile session of trade. The Sensex fell 33.29 points or 0.11% to settle at 29,485.45, its lowest closing level since 15 March 2017.

The trading activity on that day showed that the foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) sold shares worth a net Rs 1662.72 crore yesterday, 21 March 2017, as per provisional data released by the stock exchanges. Domestic institutional investors (DIIs) sold shares worth a net Rs 798.57 crore yesterday, 21 March 2017, as per provisional data.

Among corporate news, Hindustan Unilever (HUL) announced that it has commenced the commercial production in its new manufacturing unit at Assam on 15 March 2017. The company had earlier informed about setting up new manufacturing unit in Assam to augment the production capacity of personal care products of the company. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 21 March 2017.

Indiabulls Housing Finance announced that it has allotted its seventh tranche of secured, redeemable, non-convertible debentures of face value Rs 10 lakh each (NCDs) aggregating Rs 600 crore i.e. Rs 500 crore plus Greenshoe option of Rs 100 crore. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 21 March 2017.