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Sensex rebounded nearly 600 points to reclaim 83,000 after Thursday’s sharp 1,236-point crash, offering short-term relief to shaken investors.
Nifty 50 climbed back above 25,600 as selective buying in PSU banks, metals, and pharma offset weakness in IT stocks.
Rising US-Iran tensions pushed Brent crude near $71, hurting OMC stocks while boosting upstream players like ONGC.
Defence stocks rallied up to 9% as geopolitical risks increased expectations of higher defence spending and order inflows.
The stock market today, on February 20, showed signs of recovery after yesterday’s trade. On Feb 19, Sensex crashed as much as 1,236.11 points, or 1.48%. Nifty 50 dropped 365 points, or 1.41%. So, Feb 20’s rebound offered some relief, but the broader mood is cautious.
Sensex today opened 225 points down before bouncing back strongly to trade at 83,000 levels. It was up nearly 600 points from the previous day’s close of 82,498.14. Nifty 50, which had settled at 25,454.35 in the previous session, climbed back above the 25,600 mark to 25,603.75 at press time.
Here is the latest share market news based on Live Mint report.
The key factor weighing on the stock market today is the sharp rise in geopolitical tension between the US and Iran. US President Donald Trump issued a warning to Iran to reach a nuclear deal within 10 to 15 days or face serious consequences. This sent crude oil prices spiking toward a six-month high.
Brent crude soared 1.86% to $71.66 a barrel, and WTI crude up 0.11% to $66.50 a barrel. Rising crude prices directly hurt Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs). Hindustan Petroleum (HPCL) fell as much as 1.75%, Bharat Petroleum (BPCL) dropped 1.44%, and Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) declined 1.03% in today's trade.
Defence stocks were the biggest gainers in stock market today. Nifty India Defence index surged nearly 2.11% to hit a day's high of 8,205. Data Patterns was the best performer in the pack, jumping 9% to Rs. 3,190. Other defence names, BEL, HAL, and BDL also gained sharply. The defence index has risen 51% over the past year, though it was still about 11% below its all-time high of 9,195.
IT stocks, on the other hand, faced selling pressure. Nifty IT index fell 0.82%, with Persistent Systems, Mphasis, Infosys, and LTI Mindtree among the top losers. Infosys traded at Rs. 1,360.20, down 0.75%, while Tech Mahindra fell 0.34% to Rs. 1,474.20. The weakness followed a sell-off in US software stocks overnight.
Among other sectors, Nifty PSU Bank, Nifty Metals, Nifty FMCG, and Nifty Pharma all moved higher. Meanwhile, Nifty Media struggled alongside IT. Bank Nifty opened lower at 60,627.85, down 111.70 points, or 0.18%, from its previous close.
In the stock market today, the top gainers on the Nifty 50 were Hindalco, Power Grid Corporation, NTPC, Larsen & Toubro, and HUL.
On the Sensex, Bharat Electronics, Larsen & Toubro, Power Grid Corporation, NTPC, and Titan were the top gainers. On the other hand, Infosys led declines, followed by Tech Mahindra, Grasim, Eternal, and M&M.
Here is a table showing the top gainers and losers on Nifty 50 along with most active stocks based on Moneycontrol data.
Broader markets fared better than the headline indices in the stock market today. Nifty Smallcap 100 and Nifty Midcap 100 both traded higher, a positive sign for market breadth.
Novartis India share price surged nearly 18% to Rs. 977.95. It was on the news of its promoter, Novartis AG, agreeing to sell a 70.68% stake to WaveRise Investments, ChrysCapital Fund X, and Two Infinity Partners.
Lenskart shares gained over 3% to Rs. 497.05. The surge came after Motilal Oswal initiated coverage with a 'Buy' rating and a target price of Rs. 600. Hence, implying a 25% upside from current levels.
Among the most traded stocks on NSE today were Vodafone Idea, Ola Electric Mobility, Easy Trip Planners, Suzlon Energy, YES Bank, and Brainbees Solutions (Firstcry).
Indian rupee opened weaker at 90.94 against the US dollar, down 27 paise from Thursday's (February 19) close of 90.67.
Gold and silver saw safe-haven buying amid the Middle East tensions. MCX gold opened 0.18% higher at Rs. 1,55,105 per 10 grams. MCX silver jumped Rs. 2,481, or 1.02%, to Rs. 2,43,874 per kg. In international markets, spot gold eased slightly to $4,995.91 per ounce. At the same time, US gold futures for April delivery rose 0.3% to $5,013.60. Spot silver traded at $78.29 per ounce.
Also Read: Best AI Stocks with High Growth Potentials for 2026
Global markets offered mixed signals. Wall Street closed lower on February 19. Dow Jones fell 0.54% to 49,395.16, S&P 500 dropped 0.28% to 6,861.89, and Nasdaq lost 0.31% to close at 22,682.73.
In Asia, Japan's Nikkei fell 1.04%, and Topix declined 1.12%. South Korea's Kospi bucked the trend with a 0.66% gain. Markets in mainland China and Hong Kong remained closed for the Lunar New Year holiday.
If the US-Iran war fears get resolved, markets could bounce back quickly. Nifty 50's key support sits at 25,300-25,400, with resistance at 25,700-25,800. However, the immediate trajectory hinges on crude oil’s ability to stabilise below the $70 mark. High-quality large-caps and sectors like defence are expected to show resilience. The main challenge for investors over the coming weeks will be balancing the domestic recovery momentum against the extreme fear levels seen in global risk assets.
Also Read: US Stock Market Today: Wall Street Slips as Iran Tensions Lift Oil Prices and Support Gold Holds Above $5,000
1. What is happening in the stock market today?
The stock market today showed a strong rebound after a sharp fall in the previous session. Sensex recovered nearly 600 points to trade around 83,000, while Nifty moved back above 25,600. The bounce came despite weak global markets. However, rising US-Iran tensions and crude oil prices are keeping investors cautious.
2. Why did Sensex and Nifty fall yesterday?
On February 19, Sensex crashed 1,236 points, and Nifty dropped 365 points due to weak global cues and rising geopolitical tensions. Concerns about a possible conflict between the US and Iran led to risk-off sentiment. Investors booked profits, especially in IT stocks, and this triggered a broad-based sell-off across sectors.
3. Why are defence stocks rising today?
Defence stocks gained sharply as geopolitical tensions increased between the US and Iran. When global conflicts rise, investors expect higher defence spending. This led to buying interest in defence companies, pushing the Nifty India Defence index up over 2%. Stocks like Data Patterns, BEL, HAL, and BDL saw strong gains.
4. Why did Novartis India shares jump 18%?
Novartis India shares surged nearly 18% after its promoter, Novartis AG, agreed to sell a 70.68% stake. A large stake sale often signals a change in ownership and potential strategic shift. Investors reacted positively, expecting possible restructuring, better management focus, or value unlocking in the coming months.
5. How are crude oil and gold prices impacting the market?
Crude oil prices rose near $71 per barrel due to US-Iran tensions. Higher oil prices hurt oil marketing companies because their margins shrink. However, upstream oil producers like ONGC benefit. At the same time, gold prices moved higher as investors sought safe assets during uncertainty, showing cautious market sentiment.
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