Benchmark indices concluded a lackluster Wednesday session with marginal gains, as selling pressure in information technology stocks offset strong buying in the banking, auto and healthcare counters, with the Nifty extending its winning streak to a fourth consecutive session despite trading in a narrow range.
The Nifty rose 18.70 points or 0.07 per cent to close at 25,953.85, while the BSE Sensex slipped 40.28 points or 0.05 per cent to settle at 84,233.64. The session was marked by choppy price action, with the Nifty oscillating within the 25,870-26,010 band and the 26,000 level continuing to act as a supply zone.
Eicher Motors emerged as the top gainer on the Nifty, surging 6.45 per cent to ₹7,766.50, followed by Apollo Hospitals which jumped 3.98 per cent to ₹7,506 and Max Healthcare which climbed 3.33 per cent to ₹1,055.50. State Bank of India advanced 3.23 per cent to ₹1,181.10, while Maruti Suzuki gained 1.89 per cent to ₹15,432.
On the losing side, TCS declined 2.53 per cent to ₹2,909, while Infosys fell 1.79 per cent to ₹1,471. Coal India shed 1.67 per cent to ₹423.75, HCL Technologies dropped 1.53 per cent to ₹1,549 and Tech Mahindra slipped 1.19 per cent to ₹1,625.10.
“Indian benchmark indices traded in a narrow and choppy range after opening on a positive note. Volatility remained contained, and the broader undertone continued to stay constructive,” said Ponmudi R, CEO of Enrich Money. “Steady domestic institutional participation, selective earnings-driven buying, and signs of stabilizing FII flows are providing structural support to the market.”
Sectoral trends were mixed, with Nifty Auto gaining 1.3 per cent, Nifty PSU Bank rising 1 per cent and Nifty Pharma advancing about 1 per cent. However, Nifty IT declined 1.8 per cent, emerging as the key drag on benchmark indices, while Nifty Private Bank slipped 0.2 per cent.
The broader market remained subdued, with the Nifty Midcap 100 inching up just 0.03 per cent to 60,754.55 and the Nifty Smallcap 100 rising 0.02 per cent to 17,455. Market breadth was slightly negative, with 1,971 stocks advancing against 2,248 declines on the BSE, where 4,383 stocks were traded.
Sudeep Shah, Head – Technical and Derivatives Research at SBI Securities, said, “Despite the muted move, the index showed resilience as bulls strongly defended the previous day’s low zone of 25910-25900. On the daily chart, Nifty formed a small-bodied candle with a lower wick, highlighting buying interest at lower levels.”
On the institutional front, foreign institutional investors remained marginal buyers with inflows of ₹69 crore, while domestic institutional investors provided strong support with net purchases of ₹1,174 crore. FIIs have now been buyers for three consecutive sessions, with cumulative purchases of over ₹4,250 crore.
The rupee declined 12 paise to close at 90.70 against the US dollar amid rising crude and precious metal prices. Gold traded firm with gains of ₹1,700 at ₹1,58,500 as participants positioned ahead of key US data on unemployment and non-farm payrolls this week.
Ajit Mishra, SVP Research at Religare Broking, noted, “Sentiment remained cautiously positive amid mixed cues. Investors reacted to favorable earnings announcements from select companies, but muted global signals capped momentum and prevented follow-through buying.”
Looking ahead, analysts expect the index to witness gradual consolidation with a positive bias. “A sustained breakout above 26,000 is essential to revive the bullish momentum. Such a move could open the path towards 26,100-26,300,” Ponmudi R said. Key global and domestic macro data due include US non-farm payrolls and the unemployment rate, followed by India CPI inflation, which is expected to set the tone for near-term market direction.
Published on February 11, 2026