Market Overview - The Nifty index traded flat at approximately 25,451.80, while the Sensex decreased by 97.39 points, or 0.12%, hovering near the 82,400 mark [1][14] - The Nifty breadth was positive with 27 stocks in the green and 23 in the red [1][15] Sector Performance - The IT sector was the top laggard, with the Nifty IT index declining by 1.5% in early trade [15] - Top gainers included ONGC, Bharat Electronics, Larsen & Toubro, Titan, and Coal India, while losers included Kwality Wall's, Infosys, HCL Technologies, and Wipro [15] Economic Commentary - The market correction was attributed to the US-Iran standoff, which has led to a spike in crude oil prices, raising concerns about supply disruptions [5][15] - Brent crude prices rose to $72, reflecting market fears and uncertainties [6][15] - The Indian economy shows strength and a recovery in corporate earnings is viewed positively, with expectations of a market bounce back in the coming days [7][15] Investment Strategy - Investors are advised to wait and observe developments in West Asia, but optimistic investors may consider buying fairly valued high-quality stocks in sectors such as banking, financials, autos, pharmaceuticals, hotels, capital goods, and telecom [8][15] - Historical crises have been seen as buying opportunities in hindsight [8] Global Market Influence - US markets closed lower, with the Dow 30 down by 267.50 points or 0.54%, and the S&P 500 down by 19.42 points or 0.28% [9][15] - Asian markets also experienced declines, with Japan's Nikkei 225 down by 1.25%, China's Shanghai Composite down by 1%, and Hong Kong's Hang Seng index down by 0.6% [10][15] Currency and Investment Flows - The Indian rupee opened 0.3% weaker against the US dollar at 90.94 [11][15] - Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) withdrew ₹880 crore from Indian equities, while Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs) offloaded shares worth ₹596 crore [12][15] Crude Oil Prices - Crude oil prices continued to rise amid tensions between the US and Iran, with WTI trading at $66.780 per barrel and Brent at approximately $71.94 [13][15]

What would have been a moment of united commitment to global tech innovation at the ongoing India AI Impact Summit instead proved an awkward one: When Prime Minister Narendra Modi prompted speakers at the event to join hands and raise them in a show of solidarity, all executives onstage obliged — except OpenAI’s Sam Altman and Anthropic’s Dario Amodei, who held their hands noticeably apart. As leaders of the two foremost labs in the AI race, it goes without saying that Altman and Amodei are fierce comp ...

Arthur Mensch, Chief Executive Officer of Mistral AI, on Wednesday said that more than half of the company's current software is likely to be replaced by artificial intelligence (AI), CNBC reported.Addressing investor concerns over software stocks, Mensch said, "AI is making us able to develop software at the speed of light." He made these remarks at the India Accelerates event on the sidelines of the ongoing AI Impact Summit 2026, which New Delhi is hosting from 16 to 20 February.Mensch's remarks came afte ...

Market Overview - The markets experienced a sharp decline, with both benchmark indices falling below critical technical support zones, specifically the BSE Sensex down 771.17 points or 0.92% to 82,963.08 and the NSE Nifty 50 down 218.30 points or 0.85% to 25,601.05 [1][2] Market Sentiment - The Nifty breached the 25,600-mark, which was identified as a crucial support level by analysts earlier in the day [2] - The initial optimism was driven by positive global cues, including a 1.07% rise in the Nasdaq due to an AI partnership between Nvidia and Meta, but domestic profit-booking led to a reversal [2] Market Breadth - The selling pressure was broad-based, with 2,483 stocks declining against 1,447 advancing out of 4,126 stocks traded on the BSE [3] - A total of 102 stocks hit 52-week lows, and 110 stocks were locked in the lower circuit, indicating the extent of the sell-off [3] Sector Performance - The Nifty Bank index fell 532.30 points or 0.86% to 61,019.25, retreating from the breakout zone of 61,700–61,800 [5] - The Nifty Financial Services index declined 276.45 points or 0.97% to 28,182.70, while the Nifty Next 50 dropped 1.05% to 69,592.35 [5] - Mid- and small-cap segments showed relative resilience, with the Nifty Midcap 100 down 0.83% at 59,681.00 and the Nifty Smallcap 100 losing 0.49% to 17,151.70 [5] Individual Stock Performance - Among gainers, ONGC rose 2.51% to ₹271.25, followed by Hindalco at ₹912.35, up 1.46% [6] - On the losing side, Kwality Wall's (India) Ltd was the top decliner, falling 3.14% to ₹28.41, with Trent down 2.97% to ₹4,062.80 [7] Market Dynamics - Despite the overall weakness, 106 stocks reached 52-week highs and 138 hit the upper circuit, indicating some selective buying interest [8] - Traders are closely monitoring whether the Nifty can reclaim the 25,600 level or if further selling will deepen the losses [8]

Market Overview - Equity benchmarks, including the Sensex and Nifty, reversed early gains to trade in the red despite positive global cues, influenced by selective profit booking [1] - The BSE Sensex opened at 83,969.82 but fell to 83,606.97, down ₹127.28 or 0.15% [2] - The NSE Nifty 50 opened at 25,873.35 and slipped to 25,783.45, shedding 35.90 points or 0.14% [2] Global Influences - The pullback occurred despite firm global cues, with the Nasdaq rising 1.07% overnight, partly due to a strategic partnership between Nvidia and Meta [3] - Asian equities rose, supported by Wall Street's technology gains, while crude oil surged to $64 amid reports of U.S. military mobilization towards potential operations in Iran [3] Sector Performance - Among the top gainers on the Nifty 50, ONGC led with a gain of 1.76% at ₹269.25, followed by Infosys at ₹1,391.70, up 1.31% [5] - The IT sector showed recovery with HCL Technologies gaining 1.20% to ₹1,484.80 and TCS adding 1.08% to ₹2,724.00, contrasting with the broader sectoral trend where the IT index had previously shed over 1.2% [5] - The metal index was the top sectoral performer on Wednesday, rallying over 1% [8] Institutional Activity - Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) bought equities worth ₹1,154 crore, marking their second consecutive session of net buying, while Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs) purchased ₹440 crore [8] - FII positioning in the derivatives segment reflects a net bullish bias, indicating a mildly constructive market undertone [8] Valuation Insights - The Nifty is trading at around 20 times FY27 estimated earnings, while midcap and smallcap indexes are trading at 28 and 24 times respectively, indicating a stock picker's market [8] - Positive prospects are noted for sectors including financials, autos, capital goods, pharmaceuticals, and hotels [8] Technical Analysis - The market found support near 25,650 on the Nifty and 83,400 on the Sensex, with an uptrend likely to continue as long as these levels hold [9] - Immediate resistance for traders is pegged at 25,950–26,000 on the Nifty and 84,700–85,000 on the Sensex [9] Commodities and Currency - MCX Gold futures are consolidating near the ₹1,50,000–₹1,60,000 zone after correcting from record highs, while MCX Silver trades near ₹2,30,000–₹2,50,000 [10] - The USD/INR pair hovers around 90.50–90.90, with the dollar index climbing to a one-week high of 97.70 following Federal Reserve meeting minutes [10]

Sensex traded over 100 points higher at 83,979, while the 50-share Nifty index began trading over 50 points in the green, above 25,850 level.On the 30-share Sensex, Infosys, Eternal, On the downside, IndiGo, Asian Paints, Expert viewsLive EventsHowever, near-term sentiment is expected to stay measured, with selective profit booking emerging in high-valuation pockets and lingering uncertainty in the IT sector amid global AI-led disruption concerns. Overall, the undertone remains constructive, supported by d ...

Core Insights - More than 50% of current enterprise software could potentially be replaced by AI, raising investor concerns over software stocks [1][2][4] - Major software stocks, including those in the SaaS sector, have experienced significant declines, with the iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF down over 20% this year [3] AI Impact on Software - The CEO of Mistral AI indicated that a shift from SaaS to AI is underway, with enterprises able to develop software rapidly using AI [4][6] - There is a "replatforming" trend where businesses are looking to replace outdated IT systems with AI solutions, which are seen as more efficient and cost-effective [7][8] Market Dynamics - Mistral AI is experiencing increased interest from over 100 enterprise customers looking to replatform their IT systems [7] - Workflow software is expected to face significant disruption from AI, while systems of record that support data management will remain essential [9] Expansion Plans - Mistral AI plans to open its first office in India, targeting both public and private sector customers [10] - The company aims to partner with existing firms in India to leverage local infrastructure, aligning with the Indian government's push for domestic data storage [11]

Equity benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty began the trade on a negative territory on Wednesday (February 18, 2026), tracking losses in IT and Services stocks in a volatile session. After a bearish start, the 30-share BSE Sensex further declined 247.92 points, or 0.30%, to 83,203.04. The 50-share NSE Nifty dropped 70.25 points, or 0.27%, to 25,655.15. Among the Sensex constituents, Infosys, Tech Mahindra, Adani Ports, HCL Technologies, Tata Consultancy Services, Eternal, Maruti Suzuki India, Asian Paints, Tr ...

By Abhirami G and Aditya Soni NEW DELHI, Feb 18 (Reuters) - India's Yotta Data Services will spend over $2 billion on Nvidia’s latest chips to set up an ‌artificial intelligence computing hub as it prepares to float its shares, it said ‌on Wednesday, delivering a boost to the country's fledgling AI drive. Yotta is aiming to raise up to $1.2 billion ​from investors to fund its expansion ahead of an initial public offering, potentially due to happen as soon as this year, CEO Sunil Gupta told Reuters on t ...

Core Insights - Infosys is hosting an Investor AI Day at its Bengaluru campus, emphasizing its commitment to engaging with investors and stakeholders [1] - The event is being recorded, and materials will be made available on the company's website, indicating a focus on transparency and communication with investors [1] Group 1 - The agenda, important information sheet, and feedback forms are provided to attendees, highlighting the company's organizational efforts for the event [2] - Wi-Fi details are included in the important information sheet, showcasing the company's attention to attendee convenience [2] - Attendees are requested to adhere to the agenda timings to ensure the event runs smoothly, reflecting the company's emphasis on efficiency [2]