Sensex settles 316 pts higher, Nifty above 25,550; will stock market uptrend continue next week?
From a technical standpoint, Hariprasad K, a SEBI-registered research analyst and founder of Livelong Wealth, said that 25,350 remains an immediate support level, while 25,700 remains near-term resistance.
- Feb 20, 2026,
- Updated Feb 20, 2026 4:19 PM IST
Domestic equity benchmarks BSE Sensex and NSE Nifty climbed on Friday, a day after the markets witnessed a sharp sell-off. Today’s surge was supported by a firming rupee and buying interest in PSU Bank and metal stocks.
At the close, the Sensex gained 316.57 points, or 0.38 per cent, to settle at 82,814.71. The Nifty rose 116.90 points, or 0.46 per cent, to finish at 25,571.25.
From a technical standpoint, Hariprasad K, a SEBI-registered research analyst and founder of Livelong Wealth, said that 25,350 remains an immediate support level, while 25,700 remains near-term resistance.
Top gainers & losers
Among Sensex constituents, NTPC emerged as top gainer, rising 2.73% to Rs 373.05. Larsen & Toubro (L&T) followed with a 2.37% gain, while Hindustan Unilever (HUL), Tata Steel, Power Grid Corporation of India, and Bharat Electronics rose 1.56%, 1.36%, 1.29% and 1.29%, respectively.
While IT stocks, such as Tech Mahindra and Infosys were top losers on Sensex, falling 1.75% to Rs 1455 and 1.23% to Rs 1352.75, respectively. Five stocks, namely L&T, Reliance Industries (RIL), NTPC, State Bank of India (SBI) and Kotak Mahindra Bank, contributed heavily to the Sensex’s gain.
Among sectoral indices, the BSE PSU Bank index jumped 1.83% to close at 5,424.21, while the BSE Metal advanced 1.27% to settle at 39,552.76. “Structurally, markets remain constructive, though near‑term moves are likely to stay flow‑driven amid global uncertainties, keeping the buy‑on‑dips, sell‑on‑rallies trend intact," said Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Investments Limited.
“We maintain a cautious stance and recommend closely monitoring global developments in the absence of any fresh domestic triggers,” said Ajit Mishra – SVP, Research, Religare Broking Ltd. On the index front, Mishra said that staying above the 25,400 level is critical to maintaining a positive bias amid ongoing consolidation; a breach below this level could change the tone. “We reiterate our preference for banking, auto, metal, and energy stocks for long positions, while advising against taking short-term positions in the IT space," he added.
Indian equities staged a strong rebound after a volatile start to the session, as broad-based buying buoyed sentiment across power, metals, PSU banks, capital goods, FMCG, and financial stocks, said Ponmudi R, CEO of Enrich Money.
Ponmudi said the recovery accelerated throughout the day as investors stepped in to buy quality names at lower prices, reversing early weakness. “However, near-term caution continues to linger amid persistent US–Iran geopolitical tensions and mixed global cues,” he said.
In the Sensex index, shares of L&T and NTPC hit their 52-week high of Rs 4,390 and Rs 373.80 on BSE.
“A clear and sustained move above 25,700 could open the door for further upside. However, momentum indicators remain mixed. The RSI is still below the 50 mark, and the index has not been able to hold above its 100-day EMA, suggesting that the broader trend is stable but not yet convincingly bullish,” Hariprasad said.
Hariprasad said IT stocks remained under pressure due to weak global cues, with additional concerns about accelerating AI-led disruption. “Rapid advancements in artificial intelligence are raising questions about traditional IT service models, particularly in areas such as coding, testing, and back-office automation,” he added.
“On the upside, 25,660–25,700 remains the near-term resistance zone, and only a sustained move above 25,700–25,800 would pave the way for renewed bullish momentum toward 26,000,” Ponmudi said.
“Momentum remains neutral with RSI hovering around 48–50, suggesting a range-bound setup with a mild positive bias as long as the 25,500 support holds firm,” Ponmudi added.
Market breadth remained negative on BSE. Of the 4,349 actively traded stocks, 1,919 ended in the green, while a dominant 2,262 declined and 168 settled unchanged. The session saw 82 stocks scaling fresh 52-week highs, compared with 204 counters sliding to new 52-week lows. In addition, 160 scrips were locked at their upper circuits, whereas 140 hit lower circuit limits.
Domestic equity benchmarks BSE Sensex and NSE Nifty climbed on Friday, a day after the markets witnessed a sharp sell-off. Today’s surge was supported by a firming rupee and buying interest in PSU Bank and metal stocks.
At the close, the Sensex gained 316.57 points, or 0.38 per cent, to settle at 82,814.71. The Nifty rose 116.90 points, or 0.46 per cent, to finish at 25,571.25.
From a technical standpoint, Hariprasad K, a SEBI-registered research analyst and founder of Livelong Wealth, said that 25,350 remains an immediate support level, while 25,700 remains near-term resistance.
Top gainers & losers
Among Sensex constituents, NTPC emerged as top gainer, rising 2.73% to Rs 373.05. Larsen & Toubro (L&T) followed with a 2.37% gain, while Hindustan Unilever (HUL), Tata Steel, Power Grid Corporation of India, and Bharat Electronics rose 1.56%, 1.36%, 1.29% and 1.29%, respectively.
While IT stocks, such as Tech Mahindra and Infosys were top losers on Sensex, falling 1.75% to Rs 1455 and 1.23% to Rs 1352.75, respectively. Five stocks, namely L&T, Reliance Industries (RIL), NTPC, State Bank of India (SBI) and Kotak Mahindra Bank, contributed heavily to the Sensex’s gain.
Among sectoral indices, the BSE PSU Bank index jumped 1.83% to close at 5,424.21, while the BSE Metal advanced 1.27% to settle at 39,552.76. “Structurally, markets remain constructive, though near‑term moves are likely to stay flow‑driven amid global uncertainties, keeping the buy‑on‑dips, sell‑on‑rallies trend intact," said Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Investments Limited.
“We maintain a cautious stance and recommend closely monitoring global developments in the absence of any fresh domestic triggers,” said Ajit Mishra – SVP, Research, Religare Broking Ltd. On the index front, Mishra said that staying above the 25,400 level is critical to maintaining a positive bias amid ongoing consolidation; a breach below this level could change the tone. “We reiterate our preference for banking, auto, metal, and energy stocks for long positions, while advising against taking short-term positions in the IT space," he added.
Indian equities staged a strong rebound after a volatile start to the session, as broad-based buying buoyed sentiment across power, metals, PSU banks, capital goods, FMCG, and financial stocks, said Ponmudi R, CEO of Enrich Money.
Ponmudi said the recovery accelerated throughout the day as investors stepped in to buy quality names at lower prices, reversing early weakness. “However, near-term caution continues to linger amid persistent US–Iran geopolitical tensions and mixed global cues,” he said.
In the Sensex index, shares of L&T and NTPC hit their 52-week high of Rs 4,390 and Rs 373.80 on BSE.
“A clear and sustained move above 25,700 could open the door for further upside. However, momentum indicators remain mixed. The RSI is still below the 50 mark, and the index has not been able to hold above its 100-day EMA, suggesting that the broader trend is stable but not yet convincingly bullish,” Hariprasad said.
Hariprasad said IT stocks remained under pressure due to weak global cues, with additional concerns about accelerating AI-led disruption. “Rapid advancements in artificial intelligence are raising questions about traditional IT service models, particularly in areas such as coding, testing, and back-office automation,” he added.
“On the upside, 25,660–25,700 remains the near-term resistance zone, and only a sustained move above 25,700–25,800 would pave the way for renewed bullish momentum toward 26,000,” Ponmudi said.
“Momentum remains neutral with RSI hovering around 48–50, suggesting a range-bound setup with a mild positive bias as long as the 25,500 support holds firm,” Ponmudi added.
Market breadth remained negative on BSE. Of the 4,349 actively traded stocks, 1,919 ended in the green, while a dominant 2,262 declined and 168 settled unchanged. The session saw 82 stocks scaling fresh 52-week highs, compared with 204 counters sliding to new 52-week lows. In addition, 160 scrips were locked at their upper circuits, whereas 140 hit lower circuit limits.