By Dalal Street Investment Journal (DSIJ)
Nifty ended at 25,725.40 on February 17, gaining 0.17%, while Sensex rose 0.21%. Nifty Bank advanced 0.37%, and India VIX declined 5%. PSU banks led sectoral gains, and broader indices outperformed frontline benchmarks in a positive market breadth session.
The Indian equity benchmarks opened lower on Tuesday, February 17, 2026. The Nifty 50 index briefly slipped below the 25,600 mark in early trade. However, much like Monday’s session, the bulls made a strong comeback from lower levels, pushing the index to an intraday high of 25,764.40.
By the close, Nifty gained 42.65 points, or 0.17%, to settle at 25,725.40, while the Sensex rose by 173.81 points, or 0.21%, closing at 83,405.96. The Nifty Bank outperformed with a 0.37% gain, ending at 61,174. Meanwhile, the volatility gauge, India VIX, cooled off by 5%, closing at 12.67.
L&T and Infosys led the rally. Infosys was in focus after announcing a collaboration with Anthropic to unlock AI value across complex, regulated industries. As a result, both Nifty and Sensex extended Monday’s gains, closing higher for the second consecutive session.
On the sectoral front, seven out of the 11 key indices ended in the green on February 17, 2026. The Nifty PSU Bank index emerged as the top performer, gaining over 2% and marking a fresh 52-week high. Notably, all the stocks within the Nifty PSU Bank index ended in the green. The Nifty IT index followed, extending Monday’s gains and closing higher for the second consecutive session. In contrast, the Nifty Metal index saw a decline, slipping by 1%.
Broader markets also ended in positive territory, with the Nifty Midcap and Nifty Smallcap 100 indices rising by 0.27% and 0.56%, respectively. As a result, the broader market indices outperformed the frontline indices on the day.
Among individual stocks,
Newgen Software Technologies' share price gained nearly 15% and emerged as the top gainer in Nifty500, ahead of its participation in the Dolat Capital Corporate Conference 2026, where it will interact with investors and analysts. Additionally, earlier this month, the company received an order valued at AED 5.3 million (approx. ₹13.07 crore) for Newgen Software licenses, implementation, and support services for a large government entity in the UAE.
Honasa Consumer's share price tumbled nearly 2% after the company provided an update on ongoing litigation with RSM General Trading LLC in the Dubai Court. The Court of Appeal recently reduced the awarded compensation from AED 25 million to AED 1.7 million. The company intends to file an appeal with the Cassation Court within 30 days.
KNR Construction's share price jumped 6% following the receipt of a Letter of Award (LOA) for the construction of a four-lane elevated corridor along East Coast Road. The project is valued at ₹2,163 crore and will be executed under the Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM).
Maruti Suzuki India’s share price rose by 0.80% after it announced the commencement of sales for the e-VITARA BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle), marking a transformative milestone in India’s electric mobility journey. The electric SUV is now available with an introductory price starting at ₹10.99 lakh.
The key drivers of the index gains were:
L&T: +20.14 points
Infosys: +19.69 points
ITC: +15.83 points
On the other hand, these stocks weighed on the index:
Reliance Industries: -20.88 points
Eternal: -7.74 points
ICICI Bank: -6.42 points
As of February 17, 2026, the market breadth was in favour of advancing stocks as broader market indices outperformed. Out of 3,251 stocks traded on the NSE, 1,932 advanced, 1,217 declined, and 102 remained unchanged.
A total of 70 stocks touched their 52-week highs, while 87 hit their 52-week lows. Additionally, 67 stocks were locked in their upper circuits, whereas 56 stocks were locked in lower circuits.
SEBI Registered Research Analyst (INH000006396).
Founded in 1986, Dalal Street Investment Journal (DSIJ) brings decades of experience in India’s equity markets. DSIJ's research combines fundamental analysis with price action, guided by disciplined risk management and capital preservation. They follow a structured, data-driven approach designed to help investors and traders make informed decisions beyond short-term market noise.
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