Stock Market Live Updates | Gift Nifty Hints at Flat to Positive Start
By Bajaj Broking Team
February 18, 2026
7 mins read
Market News
Synopsis:
Today’s share market’s key developments include: Gift Nifty signals a steady to positive opening as Info Edge plans a ₹30 crore infusion, GR Infra secures a ₹1,897 crore EPC order, Maruti Suzuki unveils e Vitara pricing, SRF sees stake sale, Kalyan promoter adds shares, while FIIs and DIIs remain net buyers.
9:20 AM IST
Stock Market LIVE Update | Sensex opens volatile | Nifty sustains 25,700 level
Markets opened on a volatile note with the Sensex trading unevenly while the Nifty stayed above 25,700. The rupee strengthened by 6 paise to 90.66 against the US dollar. Motilal Oswal maintained a Buy call on Infosys with a ₹1,850 target. Brokerages reported improved Q3 results on higher leveraged trades and favourable base effects. RBI’s relaxed ECB norms could enable India Inc to raise $100 billion. Netweb Tech unveiled ‘Make in India’ AI supercomputers, while Asian Paints faced pressure after weak Q3 earnings.
Source: Bajaj Broking Research Desk.
GIFT NIFTY: Gift Nifty suggests a flat to positive opening for the Indian market. Nifty spot in today's session is likely to trade in the range of 25,550-25,850.
INDIA VIX: 12.67 | -0.66 (4.93%) ↓ today
In-Depth Market Insights: Global Outlook, Derivatives & More
Other Asset Classes
Treasury Yield:
U.S. crude settled 0.89% lower at $62.33 per barrel, while Brent crude closed at $67.42 per barrel, down 1.79% for the day.
Currency:
The U.S. dollar index (DXY), which tracks the dollar against a basket of major currencies, edged up 0.04% to 97.14.
Commodities:
Spot gold declined 2.21% to $4,882.47 per ounce. whereas silver was trading at $73.
The yield on the benchmark U.S. 10-year Treasury note increased by 0.4 basis points to 4.06%.
Asian Markets
General Trends:
Asian markets are expected to open higher in light holiday trading, while U.S. stocks swung between gains and losses as investors struggled to evaluate the outlook for artificial intelligence.
Sector-Specific Indicators:
Volumes are expected to be light with markets in China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Vietnam remaining closed for the Lunar New Year holiday
The focus will shift to the Reserve Bank of New Zealand’s policy decision later Wednesday.
India Market Outlook
Market in the Previous Session:
Indian equity benchmarks extended their gains for the second straight session on February 17, closing in positive territory despite subdued global cues. Market participants adopted a watchful stance, awaiting clearer signals from the Federal Reserve, upcoming macroeconomic data releases, and further developments surrounding US–Iran discussions, while maintaining a cautiously optimistic outlook.
By the end of the session, the Sensex advanced 173.81 points (0.21%) to settle at 83,450.96, while the Nifty added 42.65 points (0.17%) to close at 25,725.40.
On the sectoral front, buying interest was visible across most sectors, with PSU Banks, IT, and FMCG stocks providing the primary support to the indices. In contrast, Metals and Realty stocks witnessed selling pressure during the day.
The broader market also showed positive participation, as the Nifty Midcap index gained 0.27% and the Nifty Small-cap index rose 0.56%, indicating selective buying beyond frontline stocks.
TRADE SETUP FOR FEB 18
Nifty Short-Term Outlook:
The index extended yesterday’s bullish momentum with follow-through buying, closing decisively above its 21-day and 50-day EMAs while also filling the recent gap on the daily chart. This price action indicates improving short-term sentiment and a pickup in buying interest at lower levels.
In the near term, the index is likely to trade within the 25,500–26,000 range, and it is currently positioned around the midpoint of this band, suggesting a balanced tug-of-war between buyers and sellers. A sustained move beyond either boundary could provide the next directional trigger.
Immediate support is placed at 25,640, followed by 25,580, which may act as a cushion on minor pullbacks. On the upside, resistance is seen at 25,780, with the next hurdle at 25,840. A decisive breakout above these levels could open the door to further upside within the broader range. Overall, the market structure remains sideways, with the index consolidating following the recent correction, suggesting a base-forming phase before the next meaningful move.
Intraday Levels:
Nifty: Intraday resistance is at 25,780, followed by the 25,840 levels. Conversely, downside support is located at 25,640, followed by 25,580.
Bank Nifty: Intraday resistance is positioned at 61,400, followed by 61,700, while downside support is found at 60,900, followed by 60,740.
Derivative Market Analysis
Nifty:
The highest Call Open Interest is positioned at 27,000, while fresh call writing near 26,000 highlights this level as an immediate resistance zone.
Strong put writing at 25,700 and 25,600 indicates the formation of a solid support base, reflecting improving confidence among option writers.
As long as the index sustains above the 25,700–25,600 support cluster, the near-term bias is expected to remain positive with limited downside risk.
A decisive breakout above 26,000 may trigger short covering, which could accelerate the upside move toward the 26,200 zone.
The immediate trading range is seen between 25,700 and 26,000.
Any intraday dip toward support levels is likely to attract buying interest, favouring a buy-on-decline strategy.
Bank Nifty:
The highest Call and Put Open Interest is concentrated at the 60,000 strike, making it a crucial level to monitor.
Aggressive put writing between 61,000 and 61,500 signals strong support formation and strengthening bullish sentiment.
Limited call writing around 61,100 and 62,200 marks the immediate resistance band in the short term.
A sustained move above this resistance zone could open upside potential toward 61,500 and higher levels.
On the downside, only a decisive break below 61,000 may invite selling pressure toward 60,500.
The broader expected range remains 60,500–61,500, supporting a buy-on-dip approach.
US Share Market News
Performance Overview:
Wall Street stocks closed with small gains on Tuesday as investors weighed the positives and risks of the artificial intelligence boom. Meanwhile, gold prices declined and crude oil edged lower as nuclear discussions between the United States and Iran moved forward.
Sector-specific indicator:
The United States and Iran have agreed on the basic guidelines to continue talks over their nuclear issue, but this does not mean that a final deal will happen soon.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 32.26 points, or 0.07%, to close at 49,533.19. The S&P 500 advanced 7.05 points, or 0.10%, settling at 6,843.22, while the Nasdaq Composite rose 31.71 points, or 0.14%, to finish at 22,578.38.
Economic indicator:
Investors have been nervous in recent weeks due to concerns that companies may be spending too much on AI and that this new technology could disrupt jobs and the labor market.
Stay on top of the latest market news with Bajaj Broking’s insights. Our point-to-point analysis digs deep into the surface, empowering you with a unique perspective on domestic and global stock market events. Get all the current share market news, including US share market updates and the trade set up for today, in one place to make informed investment decisions.
Published Date :
18 Feb 2026
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Content Partner - Dalal Street Investment Journal Wealth Advisory Private Limited
This article is for educational purposes only and should not be considered investment advice. Market investments are subject to risks. DSIJ Wealth Advisory Private Limited is a SEBI-registered Research Analyst (Reg. No: INH000006396) and Investment Adviser (Reg. No: INA000001142). Please consult your financial adviser before investing.
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