India–Israel FTA Talks Progress
India and Israel successfully concluded the first round of Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations in New Delhi from 23 to 26 February 2026. The discussions covered goods and services, digital trade, customs, and intellectual property, with both sides aiming for a comprehensive and future-ready pact.
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi called for early finalisation of the agreement to unlock untapped trade potential, while Commerce Minister Shri Piyush Goyal stressed deeper trade and innovation ties. The next round of talks will be held in Israel in May 2026.
SEBI Circular on Valuation for Physical Gold and Silver Held by Mutual Fund
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has revised the valuation rules for physical gold and silver held by mutual fund schemes. Under the new guidelines, fund houses must use polled spot prices published by stock exchanges to determine valuation. The revised framework will take effect from April 1, 2026.
US–Iran Nuclear Talks
Iran said nuclear negotiations with the US moved forward “very intensely and very seriously” after a temporary pause in Switzerland. The third round of talks, mediated by Oman, began in Geneva on Thursday, signaling continued diplomatic engagement between the two sides.
Japan Factory Output
According to government data released on Friday, Japan's industrial output in January grew by 2.2% compared to the previous month, marking the first increase in three months, driven by robust production of automobiles and plastic-related products.
Stocks to Watch on Friday: Vishal Mega Mart, GMDC, Hindalco, IRFC and Others
The stock-specific actions are likely to continue, and here is the list of stocks to watch out for on Friday, February 27, 2026.
Company
| Key Trigger
| Details
|
Vishal Mega Mart
| Stake Sale (Block Deal)
| Promoter Samayat Services is likely to sell up to 6.5% stake worth ₹3,507.5 crore at a floor price of ₹115 per share.
|
Gujarat Mineral Development Corporation
| MoU with NTPC
| Signed MoU with NTPC to explore coal & lignite gasification projects in Odisha and Gujarat.
|
Jio Financial Services
| Capital Infusion
| Invested ₹1,999.88 crore in subsidiary Jio Credit via equity allotment to fund business expansion.
|
Indian Oil Corporation
| Dividend Meeting
| Board to consider second interim dividend for FY26 on March 6.
|
Engineers India
| Dividend Announced
| Declared second interim dividend of ₹1.5 per share; record date March 6.
|
Hindalco Industries
| Regulatory Delay
| CFIUS review process paused due to partial US federal government shutdown, impacting transaction timeline.
|
Indian Railway Finance Corporation
| Dividend & Borrowing Plan
| Board meeting on March 9 to consider interim dividend and FY27 borrowing programme.
|
Greaves Cotton
| International Expansion
| Subsidiary Greaves Electric Mobility enters Nepal market, launching Ampere Nexus EV.
|
Brigade Enterprises
| Strategic Partnership
| Partnered with Primus Senior Living to develop senior living projects with ₹750 crore GDV.
|
Stock in F&O Ban on February 27
For today, Sammaan Capital will remain on the F&O ban list.
Institutional Flows – FIIs and DIIs
On February 26, Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) were net sellers, having sold equities worth ₹3,465.99 crore. Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs), on the other hand, bought shares totalling ₹5,031.57 crore during the same session.
FIIs have emerged as net buyers for the month of February, with net buying of ₹895.58 crore so far.
Thursday’s Market Action
On Thursday, the Indian stock market ended choppy session on a mixed note, amid profit booking in select heavyweights.
The Sensex eased 27.46 points, or 0.03%, to close at 82,248.61, while the Nifty 50 settled 14.05 points, or 0.06%, higher at 25,496.55.
Wall Street Closed Lower on Thursday: Nvidia Declines Over 5%
The US stock market closed mostly lower on Thursday, pressured by weakness in technology stocks after investors reacted to earnings from Nvidia.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average edged up 17.05 points, or 0.03%, to finish at 49,499.20. However, the S&P 500 fell 37.27 points, or 0.54%, to 6,908.86, and the Nasdaq Composite dropped 273.69 points, or 1.18%, to close at 22,878.38.
Among major tech stocks, Nvidia declined 5.49%, while Advanced Micro Devices fell 3.41%. Microsoft gained 0.28%, whereas Apple slipped 0.47% and Amazon lost 1.29%. Salesforce surged 3.91%, while Tesla declined 2.11%.
Elsewhere, The Trade Desk dropped 4.8%, J.M. Smucker jumped 8.8%, C3.ai tumbled 18.5%, and Celsius Holdings advanced 6.9%.
Commodities – Gold, Silver and Crude Oil
Gold prices steadied after the US and Iran agreed to prolong nuclear talks. Spot gold price was steady at $5,190 an ounce, silver prices surged 0.62% to $88.85 an ounce.
WTI crude oil futures steadied around $65 per barrel on Friday following a choppy session, after the US and Iran agreed to continue nuclear negotiations next week.