Iran war clouds, FII exodus drag Indian markets; IT stocks bleed as crude surges

Market Overview - Markets opened cautiously on February 20, with benchmark indices trading in a narrow range after a significant sell-off that resulted in a loss of nearly ₹6.79 lakh crore in market capitalization [1] - The Sensex opened at 82,272.49 and was trading at 82,591.30, up ₹93.16 or 0.11% [2] - The Nifty 50 opened around 25,400 and was trading at 25,503.60, up 49.25 points or 0.19% [2] Sector Performance - The sell-off on Thursday was broad-based, with reality and media indices losing nearly 2% each, marking the steepest sectoral declines [2] - Banking, auto, FMCG, metals, and aviation stocks were also significantly impacted [3] - Information technology stocks continued to drag the market, with Tech Mahindra falling 1.39% and Infosys dropping 1.34% [11] Investor Activity - Both foreign institutional investors (FIIs) and domestic institutional investors (DIIs) turned net sellers, offloading ₹459.90 crore and ₹1,082.15 crore, respectively, in the cash market [3] - Analysts suggest that investors optimistic about a potential deal can use the current market weakness to buy fairly valued high-quality stocks in various sectors [12] Geopolitical Influences - The primary trigger for the risk-off mood was escalating US–Iran geopolitical tensions, with President Trump warning of potential consequences if a deal is not reached [4] - Crude oil prices surged above $66 per barrel, climbing more than 7% over two days due to concerns over potential disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz [4] Global Market Impact - Wall Street closed lower, with the Dow Jones falling 267 points, the Nasdaq down 70 points, and the S&P 500 dipping 19 points [5] - The US Dollar Index rose to near 97.80, impacting emerging market assets, while gold remained above $5,000 per troy ounce due to safe-haven demand [9] Technical Analysis - The Nifty has slipped below its 20-, 50-, and 100-day exponential moving averages, indicating a bearish trend [12] - Immediate support for the Nifty lies at 25,400–25,300, with resistance at 25,600 [12] - The Bank Nifty is hovering above the crucial support zone of 60,500–60,300, with a breach below this level potentially dragging the index toward 60,000–59,800 [12]