Trading of Nifty 50 index futures on the Singapore stock exchange indicates that the Nifty could rise 32 points at the opening bell.

Overseas, Asian stocks were trading mixed on Wednesday as investor concerns about rising tensions between the United States and China tempered optimism about a re-opening of the world economy.

Developments in U.S.-China relations were likely watched by investors on Wednesday. As per reports, the U.S. was considering sanctions on Chinese firms and officials over the situation in Hong Kong. U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday afternoon he would make an announcement about the administration's response to China's actions by the end of this week.

In US, stocks closed higher on Tuesday on optimism about the development of coronavirus vaccines and a revival of business activity. Apple Inc said Tuesday that it would reopen dozens of U.S. stores as more regions begin to lift restrictions on business operations amid the COVID-19 outbreak.

Travel-related stocks surged in the U.S. and Europe on data showing an increase in U.S. air travel and after news that a German airline will resume flights in July as travel restrictions are lifted in Spain.

The New York Stock Exchange trading floor also partially reopened Tuesday, with Plexiglas barriers to keep traders apart and capacity limited to one quarter its pre-virus levels.

Biotech company Novavax Inc. said it started human trials of its vaccine candidate in Australia. The first phase of the placebo-controlled study will enroll 135 healthy adults and the preliminary round of data from that study is expected in July. Big drugmaker Merck & Co. also said it would soon have two potential vaccines under its umbrella and an experimental drug against the coronavirus, joining rivals in the frantic search for medicines.

There are 10 vaccines in clinical evaluation and 114 in preclinical evaluation, as per reports

In U.S. economic data Monday, the Chicago Fed's national activity index registered at a negative 16.74 in April, down from a revised negative 4.97 in March. The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller index showed home prices on a national level rose 4.4% annually in March, up from 4.2% in February.

Back home, the main stock indices pared early gains and ended with small losses on Tuesday. Selling in IT pivotals, Bharti Airtel and Reliance Industries put pressure on bourses. The barometer S&P BSE Sensex fell 63.29 points or 0.21% at 30,609.30. The Nifty 50 index fell 10.20 points or 0.11% at 9,029.05.

Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) bought shares worth Rs 4,716.13 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs), were net buyers to the tune of Rs 2,841.09 crore in the Indian equity market on 26 May, provisional data showed.