Sensex slipped 457 points to 83,775 while Nifty declined 126 points to 25,827 amid broad-based selling pressure.
The Nifty IT index crashed 4.7% to 33,442, with Infosys, TCS, and Coforge leading sharp declines.
Despite market weakness, Foreign Institutional Investors bought Rs 944 crore, offering partial liquidity support to equities.
Indian stock market today, on February 12, showed bearish sentiments. The benchmark indices traded in the red zone as the IT sector faced a brutal selloff. BSE Sensex slipped 457 points to 83,775, while the NSE Nifty declined 126 points to 25,827 at press time. The downtrend comes amid concerns over AI-driven disruption and global uncertainties. Here’s everything you need to know about the stock market today based on live updates.
Nifty IT index lost the most in the stock market today. It tumbled 4.7% to a four-month low of 33,442. This is a concerning trend for the Indian technology sector, which has already fallen 12.6% in 2025 and dropped nearly 11% so far in 2026.
Major IT stocks bore the brunt of the selloff, with Coforge plunging 6%. It was followed by LTIMindtree down 5.31%, Oracle Financial Services Software (OFSS) falling 4.94%, Infosys declining 4.93%, Tech Mahindra dropping 4.2%, and Mphasis sliding 3.84%. Growing worries that AI advancements could pressure earnings have rattled investor confidence in the sector.
On Nifty 50, ICICI Bank led the gainers with a 1.28% rise, followed by Eicher Motors gaining 0.75%, SBI up 0.65%, NTPC rising 0.63%, and BEL adding 0.46%.
IT stocks dominate the losers' list, with Infosys falling 5.02%, HCL Tech down 4.55%, TCS declining 4.45%, Wipro dropping 4.24%, and Eternal falling 2.39%.
Hindustan Unilever (HUL): HUL reported strong Q3 results. The company's revenue rose 5.7%, and net profit more than doubled to Rs. 6,607 crore. The FMCG giant posted underlying volume growth of 4% across segments.
Home Care revenue stood at Rs. 5,890 crore (up 2.6%), Beauty & Wellbeing at Rs. 3,596 crore (up 4.6%), Personal Care at Rs. 2,371 crore (up 5.6%), and Foods at Rs. 3,689 crore (up 5.9%). The company indicated that FY27 is expected to perform better than FY26, driven by portfolio transformation and channel expansion. However, HUL share price was down 2% at Rs. 2,422.40 on the NSE.
Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M): M&M shares traded flat at Rs. 3,646 despite a 33% jump in standalone profit to Rs. 3,931 crore in Q3FY26. The auto major delivered its 15th consecutive quarter of double-digit EBITDA growth, with December quarter EBITDA up 27% year-on-year. The company's auto EBIT margin came in at 9.5%, above analyst estimates of 9%.
Leading brokerages maintained bullish stances, with CLSA raising its target price to Rs. 4,702 (Outperform rating), Jefferies setting a target of Rs. 4,500 (Buy), Nomura at Rs. 4,662 (Buy), and HSBC at Rs. 4,250 (Buy). Analysts highlighted M&M's strong execution across tractors, SUVs, and LCVs, with UV capacity ramp-up planned to 24-28,000 units per month by CY28.
Lenskart: Lenskart's share price surged 13% to hit a 52-week high after delivering exceptional Q3 earnings. The eyewear retailer reported 38% overall revenue growth with significant margin improvement.
EBITDA margins in both India and international markets witnessed steep expansion, led by gross margin improvement from higher average selling prices, better product mix, and sourcing efficiencies. India's same-store sales growth improved to 28% versus 15% in the first half of FY26.
Jefferies raised its target price to Rs. 575 (Buy rating), while Citi maintained a Neutral stance with a target of Rs. 520.
Ashok Leyland: The stock rose 3% to Rs. 212.20 after reporting a 5% increase in consolidated net profit to Rs. 862 crore in Q3FY26. The commercial vehicle maker beat estimates with EPS rising 45% year-on-year to Rs. 1.9, led by a 120 basis point quarter-on-quarter EBITDA margin uptick and lower depreciation.
Motilal Oswal maintained a Buy rating with a target price of Rs. 238, citing multiple growth drivers for CV cycle revival. InCred Equities set a target of Rs. 236 (Add rating), while Jefferies remained cautious with a Hold rating and target of Rs. 190 due to valuation concerns.
Hindalco Industries: The company faced pressure following weak results from Novelis. The company's Q3 adjusted EBITDA at Novelis came in at $348 million, impacted by a $400 million hit from the Oswego fire. The adjusted EBITDA impact is estimated at $150-200 million, with a negative free cash flow impact of $1.3-1.6 billion. Net debt to EBITDA is expected to rise beyond 4 times.
CLSA maintained an Outperform rating with a target of Rs. 1,035, Citi held a Buy rating at Rs. 920, while HSBC set a Buy target at Rs. 1,240. Management reiterated that Bay Minette's full plant commissioning remains on track for the second half of CY26.
Adani Power incorporated a wholly-owned subsidiary called Adani Atomic Energy Limited as India opens the nuclear power sector to private companies for the first time. The strategic move aims to boost clean energy capacity and meet rising electricity demand. However, Adani Power shares fell 1% to trade at Rs. 149.14 at press time.
Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) opened its retail portion of the Offer for Sale today at a floor price of Rs. 254.00, with the minimum retail bid price set at Rs. 255.30 based on the non-retail clearing price discovered on February 11. The total issue size stands at 17.41 crore equity shares worth Rs. 4,422.22 crore, representing 5% of outstanding capital. The retail portion comprises 1.74 crore equity shares worth Rs. 442.22 crore.
BHEL shares currently trade at Rs. 260.80, down from the announcement day's closing price of Rs. 276.10. Morgan Stanley issued a tactical Buy rating with a target of Rs. 304, recommending investors use the current correction to accumulate the stock as underlying fundamentals remain strong.
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The Indian Rupee strengthened significantly, rising 38 paise to trade at 90.40 against the US dollar in early trade. The appreciation came on the back of foreign fund inflows and Reserve Bank of India (RBI) liquidity support measures. Market analysts expect the rupee to trade in a range of Rs. 90.25-91.20 in the coming sessions, though higher crude oil imports from Western markets could widen the import bill and keep some pressure on the currency.
Gold prices today fell 0.43% to Rs. 1,58,079 per 10 grams, while silver slipped 0.77% to Rs. 2,61,000 per kilogram. Internationally, COMEX gold traded around $5,075 per ounce, down 0.50%, while COMEX silver fell 2% to $82.20 per ounce.
Crude oil futures gained on US-Iran tension concerns, with Brent crude rising 0.49% to $69.74 per barrel and WTI crude up 0.57% to $65.00 per barrel. Total motor gasoline inventories increased by 1.2 million barrels, while distillate fuel inventories decreased by 2.7 million barrels last week.
Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) extended their buying streak for the sixth time in seven sessions, purchasing Indian shares worth Rs. 944 crore on Wednesday. February inflows have now reached $1.7 billion, following three consecutive months of outflows. This marks a potential shift from sustained selling pressure and provides crucial liquidity support to the stock market today.
However, Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs) turned net sellers on Wednesday, offloading shares worth Rs. 125 crore, limiting the upside potential for benchmark indices.
Investors are closely watching the release of January consumer price index (CPI) data, compiled using a revised 2024 base year. The new series expands coverage to 358 items, including airfares, e-commerce transactions, and OTT subscription rates—compared with 299 products and services under the 2012 series. The updated base is expected to better capture evolving consumption patterns across rural and urban India, thereby enhancing the accuracy and relevance of inflation estimates that guide RBI monetary policy decisions.
Market experts indicated that the Nifty 50 faces crucial support at 25,900, while 26,000 would act as immediate resistance. For the Sensex, 84,200 represents the key support zone, with 84,500 serving as immediate resistance. A successful breakout above 26,000 for Nifty and 84,500 for Sensex could push the indices towards 26,100-26,150 and 84,800-85,000, respectively.
The Bank Nifty index showed relative strength, sustaining above its 10-day and 20-day moving averages at around 59,500-60,000 levels. Technical analysts recommend a buy-on-dips strategy as long as the index holds above 59,500, with immediate support near 59,500 and stronger support around 58,000.
The stock market today is expected to remain range-bound. Optimism surrounding the India-US interim trade framework continues to support sentiment, while sustained FII buying offers the much-needed liquidity. Sectors with strong earnings growth, such as automobiles, jewellery, hotels, capital goods, telecom, and financials are likely to lead the upside, making minor pullbacks potential buying opportunities for investors.
Also Read: How to Choose the Best Long-Term Stock in 2026: 7 Criteria Explained
1. What happened in the Indian stock market today?
The Indian stock market saw strong selling pressure. The Sensex fell 457 points to 83,775. The Nifty slipped 126 points to 25,827. The biggest fall came from IT stocks. The Nifty IT index dropped 4.7% to a four-month low. Weak global cues and rate cut worries also hurt investor mood.
2. Which stocks are in focus today?
IT stocks were in focus after sharp declines. Infosys fell around 5%, TCS dropped over 4%, and Coforge plunged 6%. On the positive side, Lenskart jumped 13% after strong results. Ashok Leyland rose 3% after profit growth. HUL posted strong earnings but its stock still fell 2%.
3. Why is Sensex going down today?
Sensex is down mainly due to heavy selling in IT stocks. Investors fear that AI disruption may impact future earnings. Strong US jobs data reduced hopes of early rate cuts. This hurt global sentiment. Despite FII buying, sectoral weakness pulled the index lower.
4. How is Nifty performing right now?
Nifty is trading at 25,827 after falling 126 points. It is facing support near 25,900 and resistance near 26,000. IT stocks dragged the index lower. However, Bank Nifty showed some strength and held above key moving averages. Traders are watching support levels closely.
5. What is the latest share market news investors should know?
FIIs bought Rs. 944 crore worth of shares, extending their buying trend. HUL reported profit of Rs 6,607 crore. M&M posted a 33% jump in profit. Lenskart hit a 52-week high after strong growth. Meanwhile, gold and silver prices fell, and crude oil edged higher due to global tensions.
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