Benchmark indices trimmed early gains by midday Monday, with the Sensex and Nifty 50 holding modest advances as broader market weakness and continued selling in IT and metals offset strength in select large-caps.
The BSE Sensex stood at ₹83,126.77 as of 12:55 pm, up ₹312.06 or 0.38 per cent from its previous close of ₹82,814.71, well below the morning high of ₹83,336.04. The NSE Nifty 50 traded at 25,656.75, gaining 85.50 points or 0.33 per cent from its previous close of 25,571.25, having opened flat at 25,571.25 before edging higher.
The pullback from morning highs reflected profit-booking and a mixed undertone across segments. Of 4,303 stocks traded on the BSE, declines outnumbered advances — 2,228 stocks fell against 1,866 gainers, with 209 unchanged. A total of 187 stocks hit 52-week lows against 110 at 52-week highs, while 164 stocks were locked in upper circuit and 160 in lower circuit.
Sectoral performance was divergent. Nifty Financial Services rose 228.65 points or 0.81 per cent to 28,439.15, and Nifty Small Cap 100 added 39.35 points or 0.23 per cent to 17,039.60. However, Nifty Bank slipped 62.35 points or 0.10 per cent to 61,110.65, reversing its early positive bias, while Nifty Midcap 100 declined 333.90 points or 0.56 per cent to 59,180.05, pointing to risk-off sentiment in the broader market. Nifty Next 50 rose 100.40 points or 0.14 per cent to 69,546.70.
Among Nifty 50 top gainers, Adani Ports led with a rise of 2.53 per cent to ₹1,549.70, followed by Kotak Mahindra Bank, which climbed 2.41 per cent to ₹431.50. HDFC Life Insurance advanced 2.20 per cent to ₹744.70, Tata Consumer Products rose 1.84 per cent to ₹1,177.50, and Power Grid Corporation gained 1.64 per cent to ₹303.85.
On the losing side, Kwality Wall’s (India) Limited was the steepest decliner, falling 2.45 per cent to ₹27.05. Hindalco Industries dropped 2.40 per cent to ₹913.20 amid metals sector weakness. IT majors continued their slide, with Wipro down 2.00 per cent to ₹205.67 and Infosys declining 1.97 per cent to ₹1,326.50, extending sectoral underperformance that has persisted through the session. ONGC fell 1.90 per cent to ₹273.35, pressured by crude price volatility linked to US-Iran tensions.
The morning rally had been driven by improved global sentiment after the US Supreme Court struck down emergency tariffs imposed by former President Donald Trump under IEEPA, temporarily bringing duties on Indian exports down to around 10 per cent. However, a fresh 10–15 per cent global tariff under the Trade Act of 1974 for 150 days kept uncertainty elevated, tempering the broader upside.
Institutional flows remain a supporting factor, with domestic institutional investors having purchased ₹2,637 crore in equities on February 20, against foreign institutional selling of ₹934 crore. Analysts continue to watch the 25,800 level on the Nifty as a critical threshold, with a sustained move above it required to open potential upside toward 26,000. For now, markets remain in a consolidation phase, with the afternoon session likely to be guided by global cues and any further developments on the trade front.
Published on February 23, 2026