Market Overview - Markets opened cautiously on February 20, with benchmark indices trading in a narrow range after a significant sell-off that resulted in a loss of nearly ₹6.79 lakh crore in market capitalization [1] - The Sensex opened at 82,272.49 and was trading at 82,591.30, up ₹93.16 or 0.11% [2] - The Nifty 50 opened around 25,400 and was trading at 25,503.60, up 49.25 points or 0.19% [2] Sector Performance - The sell-off on Thursday was broad-based, with reality and media indices losing nearly 2% each, marking the steepest sectoral declines [2] - Banking, auto, FMCG, metals, and aviation stocks were also significantly impacted [3] - Information technology stocks continued to drag the market, with Tech Mahindra falling 1.39% and Infosys dropping 1.34% [11] Investor Activity - Both foreign institutional investors (FIIs) and domestic institutional investors (DIIs) turned net sellers, offloading ₹459.90 crore and ₹1,082.15 crore, respectively, in the cash market [3] - Analysts suggest that investors optimistic about a potential deal can use the current market weakness to buy fairly valued high-quality stocks in various sectors [12] Geopolitical Influences - The primary trigger for the risk-off mood was escalating US–Iran geopolitical tensions, with President Trump warning of potential consequences if a deal is not reached [4] - Crude oil prices surged above $66 per barrel, climbing more than 7% over two days due to concerns over potential disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz [4] Global Market Impact - Wall Street closed lower, with the Dow Jones falling 267 points, the Nasdaq down 70 points, and the S&P 500 dipping 19 points [5] - The US Dollar Index rose to near 97.80, impacting emerging market assets, while gold remained above $5,000 per troy ounce due to safe-haven demand [9] Technical Analysis - The Nifty has slipped below its 20-, 50-, and 100-day exponential moving averages, indicating a bearish trend [12] - Immediate support for the Nifty lies at 25,400–25,300, with resistance at 25,600 [12] - The Bank Nifty is hovering above the crucial support zone of 60,500–60,300, with a breach below this level potentially dragging the index toward 60,000–59,800 [12]

Core Viewpoint - The power sector is experiencing growth due to expectations of sustained demand momentum, contributing to a rebound in equity benchmark indices [5]. Group 1: Market Performance - Equity benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty rebounded sharply by nearly 1 percent, with the BSE Sensex rising 650.39 points (0.79 percent) to close at 83,277.15 and the NSE Nifty advancing 211.65 points (0.83 percent) to settle at 25,682.75 [3]. - PowerGrid emerged as the top gainer in the Sensex pack, rising 4.45 percent, alongside strong performances from HDFC Bank, Axis Bank, NTPC, and others [4]. Group 2: Analyst Insights - Analysts noted that domestic markets edged higher due to renewed buying interest in banking and power stocks, with improved loan growth and stable asset quality boosting confidence in banks [5]. - The power sector's gains are attributed to expectations of sustained demand momentum, indicating a positive outlook for the industry [5]. Group 3: Global Market Influences - A decline in the US 10-year yield, following benign inflation data, has strengthened expectations of a Federal Reserve rate cut, which is influencing investor sentiment [7]. - Stability in the rupee and range-bound crude oil prices are providing additional support to domestic equities, particularly ahead of US-Iran talks [7]. Group 4: Institutional Activity - Foreign institutional investors sold equities worth Rs 7,395.41 crore, while domestic institutional investors purchased stocks worth Rs 5,553.96 crore, indicating a mixed sentiment in the market [9].

Market Performance - Equity benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty rebounded sharply by nearly 1% on February 16, 2026, driven by strong buying in power, banking, and financial stocks [1] - The 30-share BSE Sensex jumped 650.39 points, or 0.79%, closing at 83,277.15 [1] - The 50-share NSE Nifty advanced 211.65 points, or 0.83%, settling at 25,682.75 [2] Sector Performance - PowerGrid emerged as the top gainer in the Sensex pack, rising 4.45%, with other notable gainers including HDFC Bank, Axis Bank, NTPC, ITC, Asian Paints, Bajaj Finserv, Bharti Airtel, Adani Ports, Tata Steel, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Reliance Industries, and State Bank of India [2] - The power sector gained on expectations of sustained demand momentum, while improved loan growth and stable asset quality bolstered confidence in banks [4] Global Market Influence - A continued decline in the U.S. 10-year yield, following benign inflation data, strengthened expectations of a Fed rate cut later this year, influencing investor sentiment [5] - Stability in the rupee and range-bound crude oil prices ahead of U.S.-Iran talks provided additional support to domestic equities [5] Investor Activity - Foreign institutional investors sold equities worth ₹7,395.41 crore on February 14, 2026, while domestic institutional investors purchased stocks worth ₹5,553.96 crore [7]

Core Insights - The report indicates a significant increase in mutual fund allocations to Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) banks, reaching a three-year high of 3.7% in January 2026, up 30 basis points from 3.4% in the previous months [10][11] - Private banks also saw their weight rise to an eight-month high of 18.2% in January 2026, reflecting a monthly increase of 60 basis points and a yearly increase of 110 basis points [10][12] - The report highlights that State Bank of India (SBI) was among the top stocks with the highest month-on-month value increase, with a rise of Rs 96.6 billion [7][12] Mutual Fund Activity - In January 2026, various mutual funds showed divergent interests in SBI, with 15 funds buying and 5 funds selling the stock [11][12] - SBI Mutual Fund purchased 62.47 lakh shares of SBI, while HDFC Mutual Fund sold 35.96 lakh shares during the same period [8][12] - The report notes that several mutual funds, including Axis Mutual Fund and Aditya Birla Sun Life Mutual Fund, also increased their holdings in SBI [8][12] Sector Performance - The allocation in the BSE 200 index was reported at 4.1%, with several fund houses exceeding this allocation [11] - The top 10 stocks that experienced the maximum rise in value included SBI, Axis Bank, and ICICI Bank, indicating strong performance in the banking sector [7][12] - Mutual funds showed increased interest in sectors such as Utilities, Technology, Capital Goods, Metals, and Cement, while sectors like Consumer, Oil & Gas, and Healthcare saw a decrease in weights [10][12] ETF and Index Fund Performance - The DSP Nifty PSU Bank ETF and Mirae Asset Nifty PSU Bank ETF reported the highest returns of 30.61% in the last six months, while the SBI BSE PSU Bank Index Fund gained 28.09% [9][12] - The NIFTY PSU BANK - TRI index increased by 30.71% over the same period, reflecting strong performance in the PSU banking sector [9][12]

Market Overview - Indian stocks opened lower but quickly trimmed losses in morning trading, indicating a cautious market mood [1] - The BSE Sensex index rose to 82,802, gaining 175 points or 0.21% at 10 AM [2] - The NSE Nifty50 increased to 25,523, up by 51 points or 0.2% [2] Top Gainers and Losers - Top gainers in the Sensex included Power Grid, HDFC Bank, Sun Pharma, NTPC, Kotak Bank, Bajaj Finserv, HCL Tech, ITC, and Axis Bank [2] - Top losers were Infosys, Adani Ports, Titan, HUL, SBI, Tech Mahindra, Bajaj Finance, and ICICI Bank [2] Sector Performance - The Nifty MidCap and Nifty SmallCap indices were down 0.06% each, indicating a slight decline in broader market segments [3] - The Nifty Pharma index gained 1%, reflecting positive performance in the pharmaceutical sector [3] - The Nifty Auto index added 0.06%, showing modest gains in the automotive sector [3] - The Nifty IT and PSU Bank indices both slipped by 0.4%, indicating challenges in these sectors [3]

Market Overview - The BSE Sensex traded over 400 points lower, reaching a low of 83,817, while the Nifty 50 fell over 100 points, slipping below the 25,850 mark [1][11] - A sharp selloff in IT stocks weighed on market sentiment, with Infosys, Eternal, and Titan Company being the top drags, falling between 2-4% [11] - Marginal gains were observed in ICICI Bank, Power Grid, and Tata Steel, rising up to 1% [11] Economic Indicators - The latest U.S. jobs data showed the addition of 130,000 jobs and a decline in unemployment to 4.3%, suggesting the Federal Reserve may refrain from rate cuts in the near term [11] - In India, the rate-cutting cycle appears largely over, with steady growth and inflation expected to gradually return to the RBI's long-term target by the end of FY27 [11] Sector Performance - Market support is likely to come from earnings growth, particularly in sectors such as automobiles, jewellery, hotels, select capital goods, telecom, and financials, which are showing strong performance [12] - Tech stocks are under pressure, particularly following the Anthropic-led disruption, and may take longer to recover [12] - A rotation of funds from IT to better-performing segments could support stocks in sectors driven by stronger earnings [12] Foreign Investment - Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) net bought shares worth ₹944 crore on February 11, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) were net sellers of ₹125.36 crore [5][12] Global Market Trends - U.S. markets ended marginally lower after a choppy session, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average slipping more than 66 points (0.1%) and the Nasdaq Composite falling about 0.2% [6][12] - In Asia, Japan's Nikkei 225 briefly crossed the 58,000 mark for the first time, while South Korea's Kospi surged as much as 2.1% to a record high of 5,466.9 [7][12] - Other Asian markets showed resilience despite weaker cues from Wall Street, with Singapore's benchmark index crossing the 5,000 level for the first time [7][12] Commodity Prices - Oil prices edged higher due to escalating tensions between the U.S. and Iran, with Brent crude futures rising 34 cents (0.49%) to $69.74 per barrel and U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude gaining 37 cents (0.57%) to $65.00 per barrel [9][12] Currency Exchange - The Indian rupee opened 0.27% higher at 90.4550 per U.S. dollar, compared to its previous close of 90.70 [10][12]

Market Trends - The ongoing mild rally in the market is supported by two trends: appreciation in mid and small caps, which has encouraged retail investor participation, and a halt in sustained Foreign Institutional Investor (FII) selling, with FIIs being net buyers in five out of the last six trading sessions [1][11] - The depreciation of around 10% in the dollar over the past year has diminished dollar gains for foreign investors in the US market, potentially prompting FIIs to seek investment opportunities outside the US [11] Investment Activity - Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) net bought shares worth ₹69 crore on February 10, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) were net buyers of ₹1,174 crore, according to provisional data from the National Stock Exchange [4][11] Global Market Impact - US markets ended mixed, with the S&P 500 down 0.33% and the Nasdaq Composite down 0.59%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.10% to reach a record high [5][11] - Asia-Pacific markets mostly traded higher, with Australia's S&P/ASX 200 up 1.43% and South Korea's Kospi rising 0.6%, despite weak US economic data [6][7][11] Commodity Prices - Oil prices remained steady, with Brent crude futures up 0.3% at $69.03 per barrel and US West Texas Intermediate crude gaining 0.4% to $64.19 per barrel [8][11] Currency Exchange - The Indian rupee opened at 90.56 per US dollar, showing little change from the previous close of 90.5775 [9][11]

Market Performance - The BSE Sensex traded 144 points higher, or 0.2%, at 84,210, while the Nifty 50 was up by 55 points to start the day at 25,922, or 0.21% higher [1][11] - The Nifty Smallcap index outperformed the frontline gauges, advancing 0.55% after surging 2.65% in the previous session [11] Key Stock Movements - On the Sensex, Titan Company, Sun Pharma, NTPC, Axis Bank, and Bharti Airtel were among the top gainers, rising up to 1.5% [2][11] - Laggards included HCL Tech, Bajaj Finance, IndiGo, and Asian Paints, which fell in the range of 0.5%-1% [11] Investment Trends - Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) net bought shares worth Rs 2,255 crore on February 9, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) were net buyers of just Rs 4.15 crore [5][12] - VK Vijayakumar of Geojit Investments noted strengthening market tailwinds as economic growth prospects improve, particularly with a revival in private capital expenditure [12] Economic Indicators - Data from a sample of listed companies showed a 13.1% year-on-year rise in fixed assets in H1FY26, indicating a pickup in private investment [12] - The improving performance of the broader market, especially in small caps, could enhance retail investor sentiment [12] Global Market Context - U.S. equities ended higher, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq gaining momentum as technology stocks stabilized after a previous selloff [6][12] - Asian markets were mixed, with Japan's Nikkei 225 extending its post-election rally to fresh highs, benefiting from the "Takaichi trade" [7][12] Commodity Prices - Oil prices edged lower, with Brent crude futures slipping 25 cents, or 0.4%, to $68.79 per barrel, and U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude declining 23 cents, or 0.4%, to $64.13 per barrel [9][12] Currency Exchange - The Indian rupee opened 0.05% higher at 90.71 against the U.S. dollar, compared to the previous close of 90.7575 [10][12]

Market Performance - Markets closed sharply higher, with the Sensex gaining 485.35 points or 0.58% to settle at 84,065.75, and the Nifty advancing 173.60 points or 0.68% to end at 25,867.30, driven by optimism around an interim India-US trade framework and strong earnings from State Bank of India [1] - The broader market outperformed benchmarks, with the Nifty Midcap 100 index surging 1.58% to 60,441.15 and the Nifty Smallcap 100 index jumping 2.64% to 17,385.90, indicating a positive market breadth with 3,062 stocks advancing against 1,308 declines [4] Company Highlights - State Bank of India emerged as the top gainer on the Nifty50, surging 7.63% to ₹1,147.80 after reporting better-than-expected third-quarter earnings and upgrading its full-year loan growth guidance [2] - Other notable gainers included Shriram Finance, which rose 6.03% to ₹1,063.00, Grasim Industries up 3.11% to ₹2,925.00, Titan Company increasing 3.04% to ₹4,267.00, and Dr Reddy's Laboratories climbing 2.80% to ₹1,276.00 [2] Sector Performance - All 12 main NSE sectors ended in the green, with Nifty Media leading gains at 4.4%, while IT stocks closed nearly flat at 0.02% [5] - The Nifty Bank index gained 548.80 points or 0.91% to close at 60,669.35, and the Nifty Financial Services index advanced 346.95 points or 1.25% to 28,154.05 [5] Currency and Economic Factors - The rupee traded marginally weaker by 6 paise at 90.70 against the dollar, influenced by rising gold and silver prices, which increased the overall import bill [7] - The evolving India-US trade dynamics are adding near-term strain on the currency, with expectations for the rupee to trade in a range of 90.25-91.25 in the near term [7]

Market Overview - Benchmark equity indices Sensex and Nifty extended gains for the second consecutive session, driven by optimism over the India-US trade deal and strong buying in public sector banks, consumer durables, and realty stocks [3][10] - The 30-share BSE Sensex increased by 485.35 points, or 0.58%, closing at 84,065.75, while the NSE Nifty rose by 173.60 points, or 0.68%, settling at 25,867.30 [3][7] Sector Performance - Key sectors attracting investor interest included cement, capital goods, textiles, and consumer discretionary, supported by favorable trade deals and union budget proposals [11] - Public sector banks showed stronger-than-expected performance, contributing to the outperformance of the PSU bank index [10] Stock Performance - Notable gainers included State Bank of India, Titan, UltraTech Cement, Tata Steel, and Kotak Mahindra Bank, while laggards comprised PowerGrid, NTPC, and Infosys [4][9] - The benchmark index reached an intraday high of 84,314.68, reflecting a surge of 734.28 points, or 0.87% during the session [6] Foreign Investment - Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) purchased equities worth ₹1,950.77 crore, indicating a return of foreign capital to the market [12]