By Dalal Street Investment Journal (DSIJ)
Nifty advanced 0.37% to 25,819.35 on February 18, extending its rally to three sessions and closing above its 50-DMA. Nifty Metal gained 1.33%, while India VIX declined by over 3.5%. Market breadth remained positive, with broader indices also ending higher.
On Wednesday, February 18, India’s key equity benchmarks closed in positive territory. Both Nifty and Sensex recovered from the day’s low to end the session near the day’s high.
After a positive start, the Nifty 50 slipped below the level of 25,650 on an intraday basis, while the Sensex fell to an intraday low of 83,163. However, after midday trading, the Nifty recovered nearly 180 points from the day’s low, while the Sensex jumped over 500 points from its low.
At the closing bell, the Nifty 50 closed higher by 93.95 points, or 0.37%, to 25,819.35. The Sensex advanced by 283.29 points, or 0.34%, to 83,734.25. The benchmark index Nifty 50 and Sensex continued their winning streak for the 3rd consecutive trading session. The Nifty Bank also followed suit, ending the session in the green with a gain of 0.62%. Volatility dropped with the India VIX slipping more than 3.5% in today’s session.
On the sectoral front, 10 out of 11 key sectoral indices ended in positive territory. Meanwhile, broader indices such as the Nifty Midcap and Nifty Smallcap 100 indices recorded gains of 0.50% and 0.54%, respectively.
On Wednesday, the Nifty Metal index emerged as the top gainer among the sectoral indices, ending 1.33% higher, reversing its previous session's losses. This happened after media reports quoted US trade representative Jamieson Greer saying that Washington is open to simplifying steel tariffs amid industry pushback.
On the flipside, the Nifty IT Index fell 1.23%, reversing gains from the previous session as all ten constituents declined with the top loser being LTIMindtree, which slipped over 2%.
Indian markets recovered from the day’s lows as buying interest returned and institutional flows turned supportive on February 17, 2026. Data from the National Stock Exchange of India showed FIIs were net buyers worth ₹995 crore while DIIs bought ₹187 crore, boosting sentiments of market participants. The rebound was further supported by falling crude oil prices after comments from the US President Donald Trump on Iran talks eased geopolitical worries, and a drop in India VIX signalled fear is receding.
Among individual stocks,
Shares of cigarette maker Godfrey Phillips India surged up to 20% after media reports indicated that companies have raised prices to pass on higher costs to consumers.
Netweb Technologies share price jumped nearly 9% as the company launched ‘Make in India’ AI Supercomputing Systems Powered by NVIDIA Sovereign AI Development.
Dilip Buildcon share price gained 4.13% after emerging as the lowest bidder for a ₹702 crore project.
The key drivers of the index gains were:
Reliance Industries: +27.11 points
ITC: +14.79 points
Axis Bank: +12.44 points
On the other hand, these stocks weighed on the index:
Infosys: -13.45 points
Eternal: -6.30 points
Oil and Natural Gas Corporation: -6.15 points
As of February 18, 2026, the market breadth was in favour of advancing stocks. Out of 3,280 stocks traded on the NSE, 1,715 advanced, 1,458 declined, and 107 remained unchanged.
A total of 62 stocks touched their 52-week highs, while 67 hit their 52-week lows. Additionally, 73 stocks were locked in their upper circuits, whereas 56 stocks were locked in lower circuits.
Disclaimer: The article is for informational purposes only and not investment advice.
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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