Stock Market Today Highlights: Sensex ends 317 pts higher, Nifty 50 holds above 25,500; PSU banks, metals shine

Stock Market Highlights: Nifty 50’s modest 0.39% weekly gain does not do justice to the significant turbulence experienced throughout the week. Behind the seemingly flat closing, markets underwent sharp swings driven by global cues and sector-specific challenges. After a robust surge at the week's onset, Nifty 50 faced intense pressure on Thursday due to escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. This development triggered a sudden spike in crude oil prices, shaking investor sentiment and resulting in aggressive profit booking across various sectors.

Nonetheless, the index demonstrated remarkable resilience, rebounding impressively in the final trading session and recovering a significant portion of its losses. Nifty ultimately settled at 25,571, recording a 0.46% increase for the day and a 0.39% gain week-over-week.

The IT sector has taken a hit for the third consecutive week, driven by concerns over stretched valuations and the rapid advancements in AI that are disrupting traditional growth models. This has led to ongoing selling pressure in the sector.

According to udeep Shah, Head - Technical and Derivatives Research at SBI Securities, technically, Nifty 50 is currently trading below its key short-term moving averages, signaling a period of sideways consolidation with a cautious outlook. Furthermore, the India VIX surged by 6.71% for the second consecutive session, highlighting increased nervousness and setting expectations for heightened volatility in the near term.

Additionally, the overall market capitalisation of BSE-listed firms has risen to ₹467 lakh crore from ₹465 lakh crore in the previous session, enhancing investor wealth by approximately ₹2 lakh crore in just one session.

Stock Market LIVE: According to Rupak De, Senior Technical Analyst at LKP Securities, the index found support around the previous low while facing resistance at the 21-EMA on the daily chart. The RSI remains in a bearish crossover, suggesting weak momentum.

India VIX stayed volatile, keeping participants on their toes. Over the next few days, higher volatility can be expected, with the index likely to oscillate in the 25,300–25,800 range. Immediate support is placed at 25,500, while immediate resistance is seen at 25,650.

Stock Market LIVE: Jateen Trivedi, VP Research Analyst - Commodity and Currency, LKP Securities, said -"Rupee witnessed weakness as standoff keeps risk sentiment elevated. Rupee saw weakness of 0.30% at 91.01 against dollar. Over the weekend the escalation between US Iran will be closely monitored by the participants. however the AI Summit in India promises India focused on Ai and innovations which can keep fund inflow in India with Euro joining hands with India. Rupee support seen at 91.25 resistance seen near 90.50."

Stock Market LIVE: According to Sudeep Shah, Head - Technical and Derivatives Research at SBI Securities, Bank Nifty clearly outperformed during the week, closing at a fresh lifetime high on a weekly basis, largely driven by strong traction in frontline PSU banking stocks. The 20-day EMA zone of 60,400–60,500 is expected to provide key support, while the 61,700–61,800 range may act as resistance zone in the short term.

Stock Market LIVE:Vinod Nair, said - "Indian equities rebounded after yesterday’s sharp correction, led by strong buying in large caps as investors favoured their better risk‑reward over premium‑valued midcaps. Sentiment improved on clearer trade‑agreement signals and India’s entry into Pax Silica, which is expected to strengthen supply‑chain security in AI, semiconductors, and critical minerals. Banking and metal stocks drove the recovery, while IT lagged.

Volatility stayed elevated, with the India VIX spiking even as geopolitical tensions still linger. Softer inflation data from Japan supported expectations of accommodative global policy. Structurally, markets remain constructive, though near‑term moves are likely to stay flow‑driven amid global uncertainties, keeping the buy‑on‑dips, sell‑on‑rallies trend intact."

Stock Market LIVE: Healthy buying in banks, metals, and the FMCG sectors drove the market benchmarks higher. Around 1:30 pm, Hindalco, HUL, Tata Steel, and JSW Steel were among the top gainers in the Nifty 50 index. The Nifty Bank index was 0.60% up, while FMCG was trading 0.70% higher at that time. The Nifty Metal index was 1% up.

Stock Market LIVE: The market value of companies listed on the BSE increased to ₹467 lakh crore, up from ₹465 lakh crore in the previous session. This change made investors about ₹2 lakh crore richer in just one session.

Stock Market LIVE: Sensex climbed 316.57 points to settle at 82,814.71; Nifty 50 advanced 116.90 points to 25,571.25.

Stock Market LIVE: Rupee down 0.35% at 90.9825 per US dollar as of 3:30 IST; previous close at 90.6675

Stock Market LIVE: Concerns about inflation in the fuel-importing country were heightened by rising oil prices, which caused Indian bonds to drop the most in two weeks.

After rising tensions between the US and Iran drove oil prices to a six-month high, the benchmark 10-year yield increased by five basis points, the most since February 6, to 6.73%. According to a Bloomberg article, traders blamed central bank interference for the rupee's 0.3% decline.

Stock Market LIVE: According to Nirpendra Yadav, Sr. Commodity Research Analyst at Bonanza, the move has lifted oil toward a weekly gain after geopolitical risk increased sharply. The market is pricing in a geopolitical risk premium fears that heightened U.S.–Iran military pressure, including warnings from the U.S. for Iran to reach an agreement within a short time window, could spill into conflict that affects supply routes.

The countdown on U.S.–Iran diplomacy and possibility of military escalation is keeping a premium on prices. If tensions escalate or any conflict impacts shipping, prices could spike further. U.S. crude inventories recently fell sharply, signaling stronger demand or tighter near-term balances.

Risk remains headline-driven, expect volatility and sharp swings based on news flow rather than technical alone. Prices are currently not far from multi-month highs and could extend these gains, but a reversal remains possible if supply risks dimish.

The ownership of FPIs in companies listed on the National Stock Exchange (NSE) shrank to a 15.5-year low of 16.7% in the quarter ended December. At the same time, domestic mutual funds' stake rose to a record high of 11.1%.

The Indian IPO market, which has witnessed unprecedented demand from investors in recent years, has slowed down in the current calendar year, as weak sentiment toward risky assets, driven by heightened market volatility and a poor response from investors towards new listings, has turned the primary market into a low-activity environment with tepid subscription levels.

According to Trendlyne data, 31 companies, including both mainboard and SME segments, have raised funds so far, with three more set to list next week, bringing the total count to 34, lower than the 50 listings during the same period last year.

An interim trade pact between India and the United States is likely to be operational in April, Indian trade minister Piyush Goyal said on Friday.

DEE Development Engineers share price jumped over 10% after the company announced that it received a letter of intent from an international entity for supply of 16 units of HRSG Piping. The aggregate of orders will be more than $40 million.

Barring HDFC Bank shares, all other stocks in the Nifty Bank index traded in the green.

The Indian stock market benchmark indices, Sensex and Nifty 50, traded with strong gains on Friday, 20 February, reversing early losses, led by strong buying across most sectors.

The BSE Sensex jumped over 600 points to reclaim 83,000 level, while the NSE Nifty 50 rallied 0.8% to trade above 26,600 level. Broader markets also supported the rally, with the Nifty Smallcap 100 and the Nifty Midcap 100 indices trading higher.

Barring Nifty IT, all other sectoral indices were trading in the green, led by Nifty Metals, Nifty FMCG, Nifty PSU Bank, Nifty Auto and Nifty Pharma indices.

Oil refiners made big gains in Q3 on falling/low crude prices. Now with spiking crude thanks to the US-Iran standoff, the situation has reversed. The margins of oil refiners will be impacted. The beneficiaries will be the upstream companies like ONGC and Oil India. The trend will remain volatile since the West Asian situation can change quickly. Crude will decline sharply in the event of a deal between India and the US, said Dr. V K Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist, Geojit Investments.

VMS TMT share price is in focus amid the volatility in the Indian stock market. After initially rising over 1%, VMS TMT stock price later slipped. In the past week, it has experienced a 4.35% decline and is down 22% in the last quarter, reflecting a staggering 50.29% drop over the past year.

Here are stock picks by Elara Capital after Q3 results:

Large-caps: Eicher Motors, TVS Motors, Titan, Kotak Mahindra Bank, SBI, Bank of Baroda, Bajaj Finance, IOCL, NTPC, and L&T

Mid-caps: GMR Airports, HPCL, Godrej Property, UNO Minda, NYKAA, Shree Cements, and Zydus Lifescience

Small-caps: NLC India, Delhivery, KFin Tech, Century Plyboard, Arvind, and Sobha.

Muted FY26E EPS growth has stalled the Nifty 50, with the index delivering no meaningful gains since its September 2024 peak. However, Q3 earnings are an improvement. Revenue grew 12% YoY, while EBITDA and PAT rose by 11% and 10% YoY, respectively, indicating margin compression across Financials, Healthcare, Energy, and select Consumption names. FY26E EPS is now tracking only~1% growth at ₹1,085 after downgrades by 5-16% in index heavyweights such as Reliance Industries, Cipla, InterGlobe Aviation, HCL Technologies and Maruti Suzuki, Elara Capital said.

EPS for FY26E has seen a downward revision of 2% since Q3FY26 preview. A softer FY26 base, an improving demand outlook, and expected broadening of earnings bode well for a 15%+ earnings compounding in FY27E. However, monitor commodity costs, cost of financing, and opex management, it added.

Vodafone Idea, Easy Trip Planners, Dharan Infra, Ola Electric Mobility, Tata Silver Exchange Traded Fund, Brainbees Solutions (Firstcry), Tata Gold Exchange Traded Fund, Suzlon Energy, and YES Bank were among the most traded stocks on the NSE.

Lenskart Solutions share price rallied over 3% on Friday after domestic brokerage firm Motilal Oswal initiated coverage on the stock with a bullish view. Lenskart shares gained as much as 3.18% to ₹497.05 apiece on the BSE.

Motilal Oswal Financial Services (MOFSL) has initiated its coverage on Lenskart shares with a ‘Buy’ rating and a target price of ₹600 per share, implying an upside potential of nearly 25% from Thursday’s closing price.

Across-the-board buying in defence stocks drove the Nifty India Defence index nearly 2% higher on Friday amid escalating US-Iran tensions. The defence gauge jumped 2.11% to hit the day’s peak of 8,205 on the National Stock Exchange (NSE). While the index has risen 51% in a year, it remains 11% below its all-time high of 9195. All constituents in the defence gauge traded in the green, with Data Patterns emerging as the best performer, surging 9% to ₹3,190.

The Indian stock market rebounded from opening lows. The benchmark Sensex was up 424.95 points, or 0.52%, at 82,923.09, while the Nifty 50 gained 149.40 points, or 0.59%, to 25,603.75.

Oil Marketing Companies (OMC) stocks traded lower amid rise in crude oil prices. Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) share price fell as much as 1.75%, Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPCL) shares dropped as much as 1.44% and Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) share price declined 1.03%.

Rajesh Palviya, SVP - Technical and Derivatives Research, Axis Securities has suggested buying ONGC, RBL Bank, and Sammaan Capital shares today.

Bitcoin prices are trading within the $65,700 – $67,300 range. A brief dip toward $65,800 was quickly bought, reinforcing $66,000 as near-term support, while $67,000 – $67,300 continues to cap upside. In the absence of a clear catalyst, price action remains in short-term consolidation. Bitcoin price is on track for a fifth consecutive monthly decline, a pattern last seen in 2018–19, when six straight red months preceded a sharp multi-month rally of over 300%. With a similar pattern, momentum could should begin shifting in early Q2 2026. Liquidity positioning suggests a move above $68,000 may trigger a short squeeze, while a break below $66,000 may trigger heavy long liquidations, said CoinSwitch Markets Desk.

Following a sell-off in US software stocks on Thursday and rising US-Iran tensions, Indian IT stocks saw selling pressure in early-morning deals on Friday. Indian IT majors — Infosys, Wipro, HCL Technologies, Firstsource Solutions, TCS, etc., witnessed sharp selling within a few minutes of the Opening Bell.

Nifty 50 opened on a flat note around 25,400, reflecting a cautious undertone after recent weakness. Immediate support is placed in the 25,400 – 25,300 zone; a decisive breakdown below this band could extend the decline toward 25,200 – 25,100, which coincides with the 200-day EMA area, and potentially lower in case of aggressive selling. On the upside, 25,600 stands as the first resistance, acting as a prior support-turned-hurdle that needs to be reclaimed for stabilization. Further higher, the 25,700 – 25,800 zone will require a sustained breakout to restore near-term positivity, said Ponmudi R, CEO of Enrich Money.

The RSI around 45–46 is flattening, indicating a lack of strong momentum and reinforcing a range-bound bias. Selective dip-buying may emerge near key supports if volatility cools, but an elevated India VIX (around 13.46+) warrants caution against sharp intraday swings, he added.

Sumeet Bagadia recommended buying these five breakout stocks for intraday trading: SBI Card, NTPC Green, Navin Fluorine, HDFC Life, and Data Patterns (India).

Persistent Systems, Mphasis, Infosys and LTI Mindtree were the top losers in the Nifty IT pack.

Gold and silver prices on Multi Commodity Exchange of India opened higher amid safe-haven buying on rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. MCX gold rate today opened 0.18% higher at ₹1,55,105 per 10 grams level as against its previous close of ₹1,54,819 level.

MCX silver rate opened higher by ₹2,481, or 1.02%, at ₹2,43,874 per kg as against its previous close of ₹2,41,393 level.

Amidst the many crises, the strength of the Indian economy and the recovery in corporate earnings as reflected in Q3 numbers, are positives for the market. If, hopefully, the US-Iran standoff gets resolved in the coming days, the market will bounce back. Therefore, investors may wait and watch the unfolding developments in West Asia. Meanwhile, investors who are optimistic about a possible deal can use the current weakness in the market to buy fairly valued high quality stocks in banking and financials, autos, pharmaceuticals, hotels, leading capital goods and telecom. Crisis have proved to be buying opportunities, in hindsight, said Dr. VK Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist, Geojit Investments.

Novartis India share price jumped nearly 18% after its promoter Novartis AG entered into an agreement for the sale of its 70.68% stake in the Indian subsidiary, Novartis India, to WaveRise Investments, ChrysCapital Fund X, and Two Infinity Partners. Novartis India share price rallied as much as 17.7% to ₹977.95 apiece on the BSE.

Bharat Electronics, Larsen & Toubro, Power Grid Corporation of India, NTPC and Titan Company were the top gainers on Sensex.

Infosys, Kwality Wall’s India, Wipro, Tech Mahindra, HCL Technologies and UltraTech Cement were the top losers on Nifty 50, while ONGC, Eicher Motors, Titan Company, Hindalco Industries and Power Grid Corporation of India were the top index gainers.

The Indian stock market opened marginally lower on Friday, extending losses from previous session’s crash, amid cautious investor sentiment over escalating US-Iran tensions.

The Sensex opened 225.65 points, or 0.27%, lower at 82,272.49, while the Nifty 50 opened 47.80 points, or 0.19%, lower at 25,406.55. Bank Nifty fell 111.70 points, or 0.18%, to open at 60,627.85.

The Indian rupee opened 27 paise weaker at 90.94 against the US dollar versus its previous close of 90.67 level.

Stock market experts — Sumeet Bagadia, Executive Director at Choice Broking; Ganesh Dongre, Senior Manager of Technical Research at Anand Rathi; and Shiju Koothupalakkal, Senior Manager of Technical Research at Prabhudas Lilladher, recommended these seven intraday stocks for today: UPL, Biocon, HDFC Life, Fortis Healthcare, Tata Technologies, Samman Capital, and MM Forging.

Chandan Taparia has recommended two stocks to buy today, 20 February 2026, and one stock to sell. Taparia recommends buying Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) and RBL Bank shares. On the other hand, he recommends selling Info Edge (India) stock futures.

Crude oil prices steadied near a six-month high on mounting fears of a military conflict between the United States and Iran. Brent crude oil price rose 1.86% to $71.66 a barrel, while the US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures gained 0.11% to $66.50.

Gift Nifty, US-Iran tensions, crude oil prices to gold rates - Read 10 key things that changed for the market overnight.

Nifty index formed a sizable bearish candle on the daily chart and slipped below the lower boundary of the 25,500 – 26,000 consolidation range, indicating a decisive loss of short-term momentum. What to expect from the Nifty 50 and Bank Nifty in trade today?

Gold prices edged lower as the dollar firmed to a near one-month high. Spot gold price fell 0.1% to $4,995.91 per ounce, while US gold futures for April delivery were up 0.3% at $5,013.60. Spot silver price eased 0.1% to $78.29 per ounce.

US stock market ended lower on Thursday, weighed down by losses in private equity companies and weakness in Walmart and Apple shares. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.54% to 49,395.16, while the S&P 500 declined 0.28% to end the session at 6,861.89. The Nasdaq closed 0.31% lower at 22,682.73.

Asian markets traded mixed on Friday, following overnight losses on Wall Street indexes and rising Iran-US tensions. Japan’s Nikkei 225 declined 1.04%, while the Topix fell 1.12%. South Korea’s Kospi rose 0.66%, but the Kosdaq dropped 0.19%. Markets on mainland China and Hong Kong are closed for the Lunar New Year holiday.

The Indian stock market ended sharply lower on Thursday, snapping its three-day winning streak, amid cautious global cues. The Sensex crashed 1,236.11 points, or 1.48%, to close at 82,498.14, while the Nifty 50 settled 365.00 points, or 1.41%, lower at 25,454.35.

The trends on Gift Nifty also signal a muted start for the frontline indices, Nifty 50 and Sensex today. Gift Nifty was trading around 25,430 level, a discount of nearly 16 points from the Nifty futures’ previous close.

The Indian stock market benchmark indices, Sensex and Nifty 50, are expected to open on a tepid note on Friday, 20 February, as investor sentiment remains cautious globally amid rising fears of military conflicts between US and Iran.