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Key gauges end higher for 2nd straight session
Feb-17-2026

In a volatile session, Indian equity benchmarks closed higher for the second straight session on Tuesday, driven by gains in IT, Industrials and FMCG shares. However, sustained outflow of foreign funds capped the upside. According to exchange data, foreign institutional investors offloaded equities worth Rs 972.13 crore on Monday.

Some of the important factors in trade:

India intensifying engagement with global partners: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said that India is engaging with international partners more intensively and from a position of strength, citing a string of recent trade agreements as evidence of the country's growing economic clout. 

India sees marginal growth in merchandise exports in January: The commerce ministry in its latest data has showed that India’s merchandise exports rose marginally by 0.61 per cent to $36.56 billion in January 2026 as compared to $36.34 billion in January 2025. 

Improving timely credit access to MSMEs remains key policy priority: RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra has said that improving access to timely and adequate formal credit for MSMEs remains a key policy priority of the central bank. 

Indian team to visit U.S. next week to finalise legal text for interim trade pact: Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal has said that a team of Indian officials will visit the U.S. next week to finalise the legal text for an interim trade agreement, which is likely to be signed in March. 

Global front: European markets were trading higher with geopolitics and upcoming U.S. economic data in the spotlight. Japan’s Nikkei ended lower as soft GDP data released Monday dented sentiment. Trading volumes were thin as markets in mainland China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan and South Korea were closed for the Lunar New Year holidays.  

Finally, the BSE Sensex rose 173.81 points or 0.21% to 83,450.96 and the CNX Nifty was up by 42.65 points or 0.17% to 25,725.40.      

The BSE Sensex touched high and low of 83,598.00 and 82,987.43 respectively. There were 17 stocks advancing against 14 stocks declining on the index.

The top gaining sectoral indices on the BSE were IT up by 1.15%, Industrials up by 1.13%, FMCG up by 0.87%, Consumer Durables up by 0.85% and Capital Goods up by 0.76%, while Metal down by 0.93%, Basic Materials down by 0.26%, Realty down by 0.23% and Energy down by 0.10% were the top losing indices on BSE.

The top gainers on the Sensex were ITC up by 2.31%, Bharat Electronics up by 2.02%, Larsen & Toubro up by 1.84%, Infosys up by 1.83% and Asian Paints up by 1.67%. On the flip side, Eternal down by 1.56%, Tata Steel down by 1.29%, Trent down by 1.28%, Reliance Industries down by 0.95% and Mahindra & Mahindra down by 0.59% were the top losers. 

Meanwhile, with a view to finalise trade pact as early as possible, Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal has said that in the coming week, an Indian officials’ team will visit the US to finalise the legal text for an interim trade agreement, which is expected to be signed in March. The visit is likely to start from February 23, 2026. Earlier, on February 7, the two countries issued a joint statement finalising a framework for the first phase of the bilateral trade agreement. 

Agrawal said ‘the joint statement lays down the contours of the deal. Now the contours of the deal have to be translated into a legal agreement, which will be signed between the two sides’. He noted that both sides are engaged in finalising that legal agreement and virtual talks are going on. He added India’s chief negotiator Darpan Jain will be leading a delegation to the US to finalise the legal trade agreement.

Meanwhile, US Ambassador Sergio Gor and Admiral Samuel J Paparo, commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command, visited the Indian Army’s Western Command headquarters on February 16, 2026 and held discussions with Lieutenant General Manoj Kumar Katiyar on strategic security dynamics along India’s Western Front. Gor said the US-India defence partnership continues to grow stronger.

CNX Nifty touched high and low of 25,764.40 and 25,570.30 respectively. There were 26 stocks advancing against 25 stocks declining on the index.

The top gainers on Nifty were Adani Enterprises up by 2.74%, ITC up by 2.34%, Bharat Electronics up by 1.97%, Infosys up by 1.88% and Larsen & Toubro up by 1.77%. On the flip side, Kwality Wall's (India) down by 5.00%, Hindalco down by 1.87%, Eternal down by 1.83%, Tata Steel down by 1.42% and Trent down by 1.41% were the top losers. 

European markets were trading higher; UK’s FTSE 100 increased 23.19 points or 0.22% to 10,496.88, France’s CAC rose 3.4 points or 0.04% to 8,319.90 and Germany’s DAX gained 74.39 points or 0.3% to 24,875.30.

Japan’s Nikkie index settled lower on Tuesday as the yen strengthened toward 153 per dollar with growing speculation that the Bank of Japan will raise interest rates as early as April 2026. Besides, soft Japanese GDP data released on Monday and a significant sell-off in technology and artificial intelligence-related stocks have dented sentiments. Further, Japanese shares weakened amid thinned trading following yesterday’s US holiday, while most markets in Asia were closed for Lunar New Year holidays. Meanwhile, investors were awaiting for release of US economic readings, including gross domestic product data, PCE inflation figures and minutes from the Federal Reserve's last meeting.

Japan’s Nikkei closed down by 239.92 points or 0.42% to 56,566.49.
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