12 February 2026: Nifty Ends Lower at 25,807 as IT Stocks Slide; Financials and Defence Shares Outperform

Indian equity markets closed the session on 12 February 2026 on a cautious note, with the benchmark Nifty 50 settling at 25,807.20, down 146.65 points (-0.57%). The index spent most of the day under pressure as a sharp sell-off in heavyweight IT stocks deepened through the session, outweighing solid gains in financials, select auto names, and defence stocks. Despite pockets of strength, persistent weakness in technology counters capped any meaningful recovery attempt.

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

Market Snapshot: Benchmarks Close in the Red

• Nifty 50: 25,807.20, down 0.57%

• Day’s range: High 25,906.70 | Low 25,752.40

• Nifty Next 50: Down 0.43%, indicating broader market softness

• Nifty Financial Services: Up 0.38%, reflecting continued buying in lenders and NBFCs

• Nifty Bank: Marginally lower at -0.01%, largely flat but supportive at the margin

The index opened near the day’s high but drifted lower as selling pressure intensified in the latter half of the session.

IT Rout Weighs Heavily on the Index

Technology majors witnessed another round of aggressive selling, with steep losses across the board:

• Tech Mahindra plunged 6.40%

• Infosys fell 5.97%

• TCS dropped 5.77%

• HCL Technologies declined 5.20%

• Wipro slid 4.79%

High volumes in these stocks point to sustained risk-off sentiment toward the IT sector, which remains vulnerable to concerns over global growth, client spending cycles, and currency volatility.

Financials, Autos and Defence Stocks Offer Support

Offsetting part of the IT-led drag, several domestic-focused stocks posted strong gains:

• Bajaj Finance surged 3.31%, leading the gainers’ list

• Shriram Finance climbed 2.48%

• Eicher Motors advanced 2.13%, supporting the auto pack

• ICICI Bank rose 1.84%, adding stability to the banking space

• BEL (Bharat Electronics) gained 1.47%, reflecting interest in defence-linked counters

Robust participation in financials suggests investors continue to favour sectors with steady domestic demand and clearer earnings visibility.

Sectoral Trend: Clear Rotation Away from IT

The session once again underlined a pronounced sectoral rotation. Export-oriented IT stocks remained under pressure, while domestically driven sectors such as financials, autos, and defence attracted buying interest. This divergence indicates selective risk-taking rather than a broad-based market sell-off.

Conclusion: 12 February 2026

With the Nifty 50 closing at 25,807.20, the market ended the day on a weak footing, dominated by sharp losses in IT heavyweights. However, the resilience in financials, autos, and defence stocks prevented a steeper fall. In the near term, market direction is likely to depend on whether the IT sector stabilises and whether strength in domestic sectors can continue to cushion broader indices against global uncertainty.

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