12 February 2026 (Mid-cap): IT Sell-Off Intensifies as Nifty Slips to 25,819; Financials and Select Cyclicals Offer Support

Indian equities extended losses into the afternoon session on 12 February 2026, with the benchmark Nifty 50 falling to 25,819.50, down 134.35 points (-0.52%) as of 14:21 IST. The decline was once again driven by a sharp and broad-based sell-off in heavyweight IT stocks, which outweighed steady buying in financials and select consumption and auto names. The session highlighted a clear sectoral divergence, with defensives and domestic plays holding up better than export-oriented technology counters.

Also Read: 12 February 2026 (Opening): IT Rout Deepens as Nifty Slips Below 25,900; Financials Cushion the Fall

Market Snapshot: Indices End Lower, Financials Hold Ground

• Nifty 50: 25,819.50, down 0.52%

• Day’s range: High 25,906.70 | Low 25,803.25

• Nifty Next 50: Down 0.52%, indicating continued pressure beyond the frontline index

• Nifty Financial Services: Up 0.31%, reflecting resilience in lenders and NBFCs

• Nifty Bank: Nearly flat at -0.00%, offering marginal stability to the broader market

The index failed to recover from early weakness as selling pressure in technology stocks persisted through the session.

IT Stocks Drag the Index Lower

Technology majors bore the brunt of the sell-off, posting steep losses on heavy volumes:

• Infosys plunged 5.65%

• TCS dropped 5.43%

• Tech Mahindra slid 5.30%

• Wipro fell 4.32%

• HCL Technologies declined 4.03%

The synchronized decline across tier-1 IT names underscores cautious investor positioning toward export-focused sectors, which remain sensitive to global growth expectations, client spending trends, and currency movements.

Financials, Autos and Consumption Stocks Provide Cushion

While IT stocks weighed on sentiment, several domestic-focused names posted healthy gains:

• Bajaj Finance surged 2.83%, leading the gainers’ pack

• Eicher Motors rose 2.17%, signaling strength in the auto space

• Shriram Finance added 1.78%

• Trent climbed 1.76%, reflecting continued interest in consumption themes

• ICICI Bank advanced 1.61%, supporting the financials index

Strong volumes in financials suggest that investors continue to prefer sectors with relatively stable domestic demand and clearer earnings visibility.

Sectoral Divergence Defines the Session

The day’s trade was marked by a clear split between export-oriented IT stocks and domestically driven sectors. While technology counters faced sustained selling pressure, financials and select cyclicals managed to attract buying interest, helping limit the overall downside in the benchmark indices.

Conclusion: 12 February 2026

With the Nifty 50 slipping to 25,819.50, market sentiment remains cautious, dominated by weakness in IT heavyweights. However, the resilience in financials, autos, and consumption-linked stocks indicates selective risk-taking and sector rotation rather than a broad-based exit from equities. In the near term, index direction is likely to depend on whether support from domestic sectors can continue to offset volatility in technology stocks amid uncertain global cues.

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