Indian equity markets could not hold on to early gains on February 18, as both the Sensex and Nifty ended sharply lower, breaking a three-day winning streak. The Nifty slipped below the 25,500-mark, with profit booking and broad-based selling dragging the indices down.
Market Performance
The day started on a positive note, with indices showing early strength. However, the optimism faded quickly as selling pressure intensified across sectors. By the end of trading:
- Sensex closed at 82,498.14, down 1,236.11 points or 1.48%.
- Nifty 50 ended at 25,454.35, down 365 points or 1.41%.
The broader market also reflected this decline:
- Nifty Midcap Index dropped 1.6%
- Nifty Smallcap Index fell 1.3%
- BSE-listed companies’ market capitalization fell by over Rs 7 lakh crore
The selling was broad, hitting almost all major sectors and leading to a market-wide pullback.
Sectoral Performance
All sectoral indices ended the day in the red, with some facing sharper losses:
- Auto, Capital Goods, Realty, Power, Consumer Durables, Media – down around 2% each
- Banking and Finance also saw pressure, adding to the overall market weakness
The uniform decline across sectors shows a cautious investor sentiment, as traders booked profits after three consecutive days of gains.
Top Movers of the Day
Among Nifty 50 stocks, the biggest losers included:
On the other hand, a few stocks managed to resist the broader decline:
Stock-Specific Highlights
Some midcap and smallcap stocks faced significant pressure:
- Hilton Metal Forging fell 11% after the board approved the issue of 1.67 crore rights equity shares
- Dixon Technologies down 3%
- Jindal Saw shed 4% due to API restrictions
52-Week Highs and Lows
The market saw a notable number of stocks touching new annual highs and lows, reflecting a volatile trading session:
- More than 140 stocks hit 52-week lows, including Brainbees Solutions, C.E. Info, LT Technology, Clean Science, Just Dial, Vedant Fashions, Info Edge, Jyothy Labs, Inox Wind, Ola Electric, KEC International, NCC, Cello World.
- Over 100 stocks touched 52-week highs, including RBL Bank, MRPL, Torrent Pharma, JB Chemicals, AU Small Finance, KEI Industries, Union Bank, Bank of India, Indian Bank, Voltas, Tata Steel, Bharat Forge, Bank of Maharashtra, Indus Towers, Eicher Motors, Jindal Steel, Bajaj Auto, Marico.
Summary of the Day
The trading session on February 18 was dominated by profit booking, with the Nifty breaking below 25,500 and the Sensex losing more than 1,200 points. Broad-based selling and sectoral weakness reflected cautious investor sentiment, while market capitalization of BSE-listed firms shrank significantly.
While a few stocks bucked the trend, the overall market tone was bearish. The decline in both midcap and smallcap indices further highlighted a widespread market correction after a brief rally.
Investors witnessed a mix of sharp falls in individual stocks alongside pockets of resilience, making February 18 a day of contrast on the Indian stock markets.
Source: Moneycontrol
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