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

Overseas, Asian stocks were trading higher on Friday after global stock indexes and Wall Street posted more records, with strong corporate earnings and upbeat US economic data adding to optimism after China and the US signed a partial trade deal. Investors will be closely watching key Chinese GDP data for clues on whether a marked slowdown in the world's second-largest economy is starting to bottom out.

In US, stocks rallied again on Thursday, with all three benchmark indexes closing at new records, following the signing of a trade truce between the US and China on Wednesday and Senate approval of a new trade deal between the US, Mexico and Canada on Thursday.

Back home, key equity barometers ended with minor gains after a see-saw session on Thursday. Trading was volatile on account of weekly index options expiry on the NSE. Investors booked some profits after the US and China signed a preliminary trade agreement on Wednesday, expectations for which had driven global equities to record highs. The barometer BSE S&P Sensex rose 59.83 points or 0.14% to 41,932.56. The Nifty 50 index gained 12.95 points or 0.09% to 12,356.25.

The trading activity on that day showed that the foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) sold shares worth a net Rs 395.24 crore yesterday, 16 January 2020, as per provisional data released by the stock exchanges. Domestic institutional investors (DIIs) sold shares worth a net Rs 184.65 crore, yesterday, 16 January 2020, as per provisional data.