India: Daily Stock Market Performance Insight - February 12, 2026

The Indian equity markets faced downward pressure today as the Sensex closed at 83,674.92, slipping 558.72 points or 0.66 percent. The Nifty 50 followed suit, settling at 25,807.2, down 146.65 points or 0.57 percent. This correction was primarily driven by a significant slump in the IT sector, which outweighed positive institutional flows and strong earnings reports from specific industrial and consumer sectors.

A major theme of the session was the impact of global macro data and sectoral shifts. Robust US jobs data, showing 130,000 additions and a 4.3 percent unemployment rate, suggests that the Federal Reserve may delay rate cuts. This macro backdrop, coupled with an Anthropic shock, weighed heavily on Indian IT ADRs and domestic listings. Infosys led the sector decline, shedding 3.77 percent, while other majors like TCS and HCL Tech also registered losses. In contrast, the Q3 earnings season continues to deliver standout performances. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited reported a 29.64 percent increase in consolidated profit to 1,866.68 crore and declared an interim dividend of 35 rupees. Indian Hotels Company saw a profit surge of 55.12 percent to 903.23 crore, while Honasa Consumer and Lenskart reported profit jumps of 92.9 percent and 6,982 percent respectively.

Institutional activity remained mixed as Foreign Institutional Investors were net buyers of 943 crore for the fourth straight session, while Domestic Institutional Investors sold 125 crore worth of equities. Federal Bank received a boost as RBI approved ICICI entities to acquire up to a 9.95 percent stake. Looking ahead, the Nifty faces a crucial resistance zone at 26,000, with immediate support at the 25,500 mark. Investors should monitor the BHEL OFS oversubscription and potential banking disruptions from the nationwide strike. While broader indices are under pressure, the focus remains on stock-specific opportunities in the PSU and hospitality spaces as the domestic rate-cutting cycle appears on pause.