Markets staged a broad-based recovery by midday on Thursday, with the Sensex climbing 605.03 points or 0.73 per cent to 83,103.17 and the Nifty 50 adding 200.25 points or 0.79 per cent to 25,654.60 as of 12.30 pm — reversing much of the previous session’s steep decline that had wiped out approximately. ₹6.79 lakh crore in investor wealth.
The rebound came despite an uncertain start, with the Sensex opening lower at 82,272.49, against its previous close of 82,498.14. Buying interest gradually built across sectors through the morning session, suggesting some risk appetite returning after Wednesday’s broad sell-off.
Broader market indices also participated in the recovery. The Nifty Next 50 rose 583.95 points or 0.85 per cent to 69,560.35, while the Nifty Bank gained 597.10 points or 0.98 per cent to 61,178.40. The Nifty Financial Services index added 217.35 points or 0.77 per cent to 28,221.10. The Nifty Midcap 100 rose 396.20 points or 0.67 per cent to 59,526.85, while the Nifty Smallcap 100 lagged with a modest gain of 37.85 points or 0.22 per cent to 17,038.70.
Among Nifty 50 constituents, Hindalco led the gainers, rising 3.00 per cent to ₹932.80 on volumes of over 25.14 lakh shares worth ₹23,177.61 lakh. Power Grid Corporation followed with a gain of 2.24 per cent to ₹301.25, while NTPC added 2.20 per cent to ₹371.20 on volumes of 41.56 lakh shares. Larsen & Toubro rose 2.17 per cent to ₹4,373.20, and Hindustan Unilever gained 2.08 per cent to ₹2,326.70.
On the losing side, Infosys remained under pressure, slipping 0.73 per cent to ₹1,360.50 on the heaviest traded value on the Nifty at ₹90,335.01 lakh, across 66.77 lakh shares. Eternal fell 0.39 per cent to ₹270.70, while Tech Mahindra — which had weighed on indices in the morning session as well — declined 0.35 per cent to ₹1,474.10. Kwality Wall’s (India) dropped 0.35 per cent to ₹28.49, and Mahindra & Mahindra shed 0.22 per cent to ₹3,424.10.
Market breadth on the BSE was positive, but not decisively so. Of 4,129 stocks traded, 2,056 advanced against 1,873 declines, with 200 unchanged. The number of stocks hitting 52-week lows at 154 outpaced those at 52-week highs at 61, pointing to continued stress beneath the headline index recovery. A total of 134 stocks were locked in upper circuits against 117 in lower circuits.
The partial recovery follows an overnight improvement in global sentiment, though risks from West Asia remain live. US–Iran tensions, elevated crude prices, and the prospect of supply disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz continue to weigh on the macro backdrop. Federal Reserve minutes released earlier signaled policymakers are in no hurry to cut interest rates, keeping the dollar firm and limiting the upside for emerging market assets, including Indian equities.
With trading still ongoing, analysts caution that afternoon trade could test the durability of this recovery, particularly if global cues deteriorate or institutional flows reverse.
Published on February 20, 2026