GIFT Nifty:
GIFT Nifty February 2026 futures were down 6.50 points, suggesting a muted start for the Nifty 50 today.
Institutional Flows:
Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) bought shares worth Rs 995.21 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) were net buyers to the tune of Rs 187.04 crore in the Indian equity market on 17 February 2026, provisional data showed.
The FIIs have sold shares worth Rs 1,350.48 crore in the cash market so far in February (till 17 February 2026). This follows their cash sales of Rs 41,435.22 crore in January 2026 and Rs 34,349.62 crore in December.
Global Markets:
Asian stocks pushed higher on Wednesday despite the renewed artificial intelligence worries gripping international markets.
Mainland China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan and South Korean were among markets closed for Lunar New Year holidays.
The positive start in Asia followed a lacklustre session on Tuesday on Wall Street as investors grappled with the outlook for the AI boom.
Concerns that companies are over-investing, along with angst about the extent to which the nascent technology could disrupt labor markets, have fuelled investor jitters in recent weeks.
In the U.S. overnight, The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.07% to 49,533.19, the S&P 500 was up 0.10% at 6,843.22 and the Nasdaq Composite gained 0.14% to 22,578.38. The S&P 500 fell 0.88% initially before making up ground to close in positive territory.
Brent and West Texas Intermediate crude oil futures were little changed on Wednesday after both slid to close at more than two-week lows in the previous session.
Following talks in Geneva on Tuesday, Iran's foreign minister reportedly said Tehran and Washington reached an understanding on main "guiding principles" towards resolving their longstanding nuclear dispute, easing worries about a military conflict near the Strait of Hormuz that could disrupt global oil supply.
Domestic Market:
Frontline equity indices closed with moderate gains on Tuesday, extending their winning streak to a second straight session, as buying in index heavyweights lent support to the market. The Nifty settled above the 25,700 mark, aided by strength in PSU banks, IT and FMCG stocks.
After opening on a weak note, benchmarks rebounded sharply within the first hour and moved in a narrow range through the first half. Fresh buying interest during mid-session trade lifted sentiment further, pushing the Nifty higher into the close.
The S&P BSE Sensex jumped 173.81 points or 0.21% to 83,450.96. The Nifty 50 index rallied 42.65 points or 0.17% to 25,725.40. Over the past two sessions, both the Sensex and the Nifty have advanced about 1% each.