Sensex Flat at 84,269; Nifty at 25,951 as Auto Jumps 2%, MSCI Review February 2026

Market Update at 12:16 PM: Indian equity benchmark indices, Sensex and Nifty, witnessed choppy trade on Wednesday, supported by gains in auto and healthcare stocks, while select Banking and IT shares remained under pressure.

As of 12:01 PM, the Nifty 50 was trading 0.1 per cent, or 19 points, higher at 25,951.10. The BSE Sensex was largely flat at 84,269.87.

Among the Sensex 30 constituents, Mahindra & Mahindra and Titan rose 1 per cent each. Maruti and SBI were also among the visible movers on the upside. On the downside, HCL Technologies, Trent and TCS declined around 1 per cent each, weighing on the indices.

The broader markets slipped into the red. The BSE MidCap index was down 0.4 per cent, while the SmallCap index fell 0.2 per cent, indicating selective pressure beyond frontline stocks.

Sectorally, Nifty Auto emerged as the top gainer, rising over 2 per cent, led by strong buying in Eicher Motors and Samvardhana Motherson International. Nifty Healthcare was the second-best performing sectoral index. In contrast, Nifty IT was the biggest laggard during the session.

Meanwhile, as part of MSCI’s February 2026 index review, Aditya Birla Capital and L&T Finance have been added to the MSCI Global Standard Index. IRCTC is the only Indian stock excluded in this review. AU Small Finance Bank will see a weight increase in the index due to a float adjustment.

Following the rejig, India’s weight in the MSCI Standard Index remains unchanged at 14.1 per cent. However, the total number of Indian companies in the index will rise to 165 from 164.

Market Update at 10:28 AM: Indian equity benchmark indices, Sensex and Nifty, witnessed choppy trade in the morning session on Wednesday amid mixed global cues and stock-specific action.

At 10:00 AM, the Sensex was down 80 points, or 0.1 per cent, at 84,210 after touching an intra-day high of 84,487 earlier in the day. The Nifty was trading marginally lower by 20 points but managed to hold above the 25,900 level.

Among the Sensex 30 stocks, Mahindra & Mahindra and Titan gained around 1 per cent each. Maruti Suzuki and State Bank of India were also among the notable gainers. On the downside, HCL Technologies, Trent and Tata Consultancy Services declined nearly 1 per cent each.

The broader market also remained under pressure. The BSE MidCap index slipped 0.4 per cent, while the BSE SmallCap index was down 0.2 per cent, indicating subdued risk appetite beyond frontline stocks.

Overnight, U.S. markets delivered mixed performance. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite ended lower, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average edged up to its third consecutive record close. Investor sentiment remained cautious after weak retail sales data. U.S. retail sales for December remained flat, missing economists’ expectations of a 0.4 per cent monthly rise, as per a Dow Jones survey. The S&P 500 fell 0.33 per cent, the Nasdaq declined 0.59 per cent, while the Dow gained 0.10 per cent.

Meanwhile, MSCI announced changes under its February 2026 index review. Aditya Birla Capital and L&T Finance have been added to the MSCI Global Standard Index, while IRCTC is the only Indian stock excluded. AU Small Finance Bank will see an increase in weight due to a float adjustment. Following the rejig, India’s weight in the MSCI Standard Index remains unchanged at 14.1 per cent, while the number of Indian companies in the index rises to 165 from 164.

Pre-Market Update at 7:47 AM: Indian equity markets are expected to open higher on Wednesday, potentially extending gains for a fourth consecutive session, supported by continued foreign institutional buying and steady domestic participation, even as global cues remain mixed. As of 7:13 AM, the GIFT Nifty was trading near the 26,054 level, up 93 points from its previous close, indicating a positive start for benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty 50.

Asian markets were trading higher in early trade, reflecting cautious optimism across the region. Overnight, U.S. stock markets ended mixed, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average registering its third consecutive record close, while technology stocks faced selling pressure.

On Tuesday, Indian equity markets extended their rally for the third straight session, led by gains in auto and metal stocks. The Sensex rose 208.17 points, or 0.25 per cent, to close at 84,273.92, while the Nifty 50 gained 67.85 points, or 0.26 per cent, to settle at 25,935.15.

Institutional activity remained supportive. On February 10, Foreign Institutional Investors were net buyers, purchasing equities worth Rs 69.45 crore. Domestic Institutional Investors continued their strong participation, buying shares worth Rs 1,174.21 crore during the session. Notably, FIIs have now emerged as net buyers for three consecutive trading sessions, improving overall market sentiment.

Several key companies are scheduled to announce their quarterly earnings on Wednesday, including Mahindra and Mahindra, Divi’s Laboratories, Ashok Leyland, LG Electronics India, Lenskart Solutions, Max Financial Services, Patanjali Foods and Godrej Industries, keeping stock-specific action in focus.

Among individual stocks, Titan Company reported strong performance with revenue growth of 43 per cent year-on-year and profit growth of 61 per cent, supported by robust festive demand and margin expansion. Eicher Motors posted revenue growth of 23 per cent and profit growth of 21 per cent, driven by sustained momentum in Royal Enfield sales. Mahindra and Mahindra remains in focus ahead of its results, with investors closely tracking tractor and SUV demand trends. Britannia Industries reported revenue growth of 8 per cent and profit growth of 17 per cent, indicating stable FMCG demand and margin improvement. Patanjali Foods and Divi’s Laboratories are also in focus as markets await their results, while Apollo Hospitals reported revenue growth of 17 per cent and profit growth of 35 per cent, reflecting strong healthcare demand.

U.S. stock markets closed mixed on Tuesday as investors reacted to weaker-than-expected retail sales data and awaited an important U.S. jobs report. The Dow Jones gained 52 points, or 0.10 per cent, to close at a fresh record high of 50,188, marking its third consecutive record close. In contrast, the S&P 500 declined 0.33 per cent and the Nasdaq Composite fell 0.59 per cent due to selling pressure in technology stocks. 

Among individual stocks, Tesla gained nearly 2 per cent, while Datadog, Marriott and Spotify rallied between 8 per cent and 15 per cent. On the downside, Intel, Alphabet, Coca-Cola and S&P Global ended lower, with Intel dropping over 6 per cent.

U.S. retail sales data for December came in flat, compared with a 0.6 per cent rise in November. Economists had expected a growth of 0.4 per cent, raising concerns about a slowdown in consumer spending in the U.S.

As part of MSCI’s February 2026 index review, Aditya Birla Capital and L&T Finance have been added to the MSCI Global Standard Index, while IRCTC has been removed from the index, which could lead to stock-specific volatility.

In the commodities market, gold prices traded firm above USD 5,040 per ounce on Wednesday, hovering near a two-week high, supported by expectations of a more accommodative Federal Reserve. Silver was seen trading around USD 81.74 per ounce. Crude oil prices edged lower, with WTI crude trading near USD 64.20 per barrel amid a cautious outlook on global demand.

For today, Sammaan Capital and SAIL will remain on the F&O ban list.

Disclaimer: The article is for informational purposes only and not investment advice.