Sensex Crashes 961 Points, Nifty Slips Below 25,200 as Financials, Realty Drag; IT Shows Resilience
- 19th February 2026
- 06:00 PM
- 3 min read
Summary
Indian equity benchmarks ended sharply lower after a late-session sell-off dragged indices near the day’s low. Elevated crude prices, persistent FII selling and geopolitical uncertainty weighed on sentiment, while IT stocks offered limited support.Mumbai | February 27
Indian stock markets ended sharply lower on Thursday, with benchmark indices witnessing intense selling pressure in the final hour of trade.
The BSE Sensex plunged 961 points (1.2%) to close at 81,287.19, while the Nifty 50 declined 317 points (1.25%) to settle at 25,178, slipping below the 25,200 mark. The decline was broad-based, led by weakness in financial, auto and realty heavyweights.
Selling pressure intensified toward the closing bell, erasing intraday stability and pushing indices near their session lows.
Sectoral Weakness Broad Based
Financial and auto stocks remained under pressure through the session. Realty and metal counters also extended losses, adding to the pressure on the benchmarks. The Nifty Realty index declined 2.2%, while the Nifty Financial Services index fell 2.0%. The Nifty Auto index also dropped 1.8%, reflecting sustained selling across cyclical and rate-sensitive sectors.
In contrast, the Nifty IT index ended marginally higher, while Nifty Media also managed modest gains, making them the only sectors to close in positive territory.
Broader markets mirrored the cautious undertone. The Nifty Midcap100 and Nifty Smallcap100 indices declined around 1.1% each, reflecting risk aversion across segments.
Volatility edged higher, with India VIX rising nearly 5% to 13.70.
Macro and Global Cues Weigh on Sentiment
Elevated crude prices continued to remain a concern. Brent crude traded above $72 per barrel, amid uncertainty around U.S.–Iran nuclear discussions. For an oil-import dependent economy like India, sustained higher crude levels raise concerns around inflation and external balances.
Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) also remained net sellers, having offloaded equities worth ₹3,466 crore in the cash segment in the previous session.
The rupee hovered near the ₹91 per US dollar mark, reflecting cautious flows.
Geopolitical tensions and trade-related uncertainty further kept investor sentiment guarded.
Nifty Gainers and Losers
Among Nifty constituents, Dr Reddy’s Labs, Bharti Airtel, M&M, HDFC Life and Sun Pharma featured among the major drags on the index.
On the gaining side, Trent, HCL Technologies, Infosys and Apollo Hospitals showed relative strength, with IT stocks displaying resilience after recent corrections.
Stocks in News
Vishal Mega Mart shares tumbled 7.59% following reports of a potential 6.5% stake sale by its promoter, Samayat Services.
Tejas Networks surged 17.5% after announcing a significant 5G equipment manufacturing agreement with NEC Corporation, making it one of the session’s top performers.
Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) hit a 52-week high after announcing a board meeting on March 6 to consider a second interim dividend, supporting buying interest.
Gaudium IVF debuted on the exchanges at a 5% premium at ₹83 but erased most gains to close near its issue price of ₹79 amid weak broader market sentiment.
What Lies Ahead?
With the Nifty now trading near the 25,100–25,200 support zone, markets will watch closely whether 25000 level holds. Until clarity improves on global developments, crude trends and foreign flows, volatility is likely to remain elevated.
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