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The Indian stock market witnessed decent across-segment buying on Wednesday, February 18, amid positive global cues.

Extending gains for the third consecutive session, the Sensex ended 283 points, or 0.34%, higher at 83,734.25, while the Nifty 50 settled at 25,819.35, up 94 points, or 0.37%.

The market witnessed buying across segments, as the BSE 150 MidCap Index also ended with a decent gain of 0.50%, while the BSE 250 SmallCap Index climbed 0.39%.

Investors got richer by about ₹2 lakh crore in a single session as the overall market capitalisation of BSE-listed firms rose to nearly ₹472 lakh crore from ₹470 lakh crore in the previous session.

The domestic market ended higher on fag-end buying in select heavyweights. With Q3 results over and most domestic macro triggers, including the Budget and RBI policy, behind, the market is witnessing stock- and sector-specific movement.

"Indian markets witnessed a late surge driven by broad‑based buying after a cautious start, as positive domestic sectoral cues helped offset lingering global uncertainties. Banking and financial stocks remained resilient on the back of steady asset‑quality expectations, while selective buying in FMCG names contributed to relative outperformance," Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Investments Limited, noted.

"On the earnings front, Q3FY26 results for the Nifty 500 were broadly in line with expectations, underscoring that while growth trends remain mixed, the domestic macro environment continues to offer medium‑term stability," said Nair.

As many as 31 stocks ended higher in the Nifty 50 index, among which Kwality Wall's (India) (up 4.94%), HDFC Life Insurance Company (up 3.37%), Tata Steel (up 2.93%), ITC (up 2.15%), and Bajaj Auto (up 1.56%) ended as the top gainers.

Wipro (down 1.73%), Eternal (down 1.47%), Adani Enterprises (down 1.41%), Infosys (down 1.26%), and Tech Mahindra (down 1.25%) ended as the top losers in the index.

Barring Nifty IT (down 1.23%), all sectoral indices ended higher. Nifty Metal (up 1.33%), PSU Bank (up 1.31%), and FMCG (up 1.21%) ended with strong gains.

Nifty Bank rose 0.62% to end at 61,550.80. Nifty Financial Services, too, rose by 0.62%.

Easy Trip Planners (71.10 crore shares), Vodafone Idea (35.90 crore shares), and Filatex Fashions (12.5 crore shares) were the most active counters in terms of volume on the NSE.

The advance-decline ratio remained in favour of advancers as over 2,200 stocks advanced while over 1,900 declined on the BSE.

Godfrey Phillips India, Ratnamani Metals & Tubes, NDL Ventures, Universus Photo Imagings, Gokul Refoils & Solvent, and BLB were among the 14 stocks that jumped over 15% on the BSE.

Some 112 stocks, including Larsen & Toubro, Bajaj Auto, Cummins India, Indus Towers, JSW Steel, and Marico, hit their 52-week highs in intraday trade on the BSE.

Some 100 stocks, including Info Edge (India), L&T Technology Services, Brainbees Solutions, and Cello World, hit their 52-week lows in intraday trade on the BSE.

(This is a developing story. Please check back for fresh updates.)

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stories by Nishant Kumar

Disclaimer: This story is for educational purposes only. The views and recommendations expressed are those of individual analysts or broking firms, not Mint. We advise investors to consult with certified experts before making any investment decisions, as market conditions can change rapidly and circumstances may vary.Nishant, Principal Correspondent – Markets for Livemint, and has been tracking India’s stock markets and economy for a decade. Prior to Mint, he has w...

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