Stock Market Today 20 Feb: Indian equity markets began Friday’s trading session on a weak note, with benchmark indices slipping in early deals amid escalating geopolitical tensions and a spike in global crude oil prices. Investor sentiment remained cautious as the standoff between the United States and Iran intensified, with US President Donald Trump reportedly issuing a 15-day ultimatum, further heightening uncertainty in global markets.
Reflecting the nervous mood on Dalal Street, the Nifty 50 opened at 25,406.55, declining 47.80 points or 0.19 per cent. Meanwhile, the BSE Sensex also started the day in negative territory at 82,272.49, falling 225.65 points or 0.27 per cent in early trade.
The weakness in domestic equities was largely attributed to concerns over rising crude oil prices, which could widen India’s trade deficit and fuel inflationary pressures. Market participants also remained watchful of global cues, currency movements, and potential foreign fund outflows as geopolitical risks continue to cloud the near-term outlook.
Stock Market Today 20 Feb
Defense and PSU banks were leading the market in early trade. Among the indices, Nifty PSU Bank, Nifty India Defense, Nifty Energy, Nifty PSE, Nifty Private Bank, and Nifty Metal were among the gainers. On the other hand, Nifty IT, Nifty Media, Nifty Pharma, Nifty Services, Nifty Healthcare, and Nifty Auto were trading under pressure. Midcap and smallcap stocks were trading under pressure.
Top Gainers and Losers Shares
The Nifty Midcap 100 index was down 47 points at 59,180, and the Nifty Smallcap 100 index was down 57 points at 16,963. L&T, BEL, NTPC, HUL, Titan, Axis Bank, Power Grid, and Adani Ports were the top gainers in the Sensex pack. Infosys, Tech Mahindra, Eternal, HCL Tech, Bharti Airtel, M&M, Asian Paints, and UltraTech Cement were the top losers.
Asian Market Today
Most global markets are trading in the red. Tokyo, Hong Kong, Jakarta, and Bangkok were in the red, while Seoul was in the green. US stock markets closed lower on Thursday. Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) were net sellers, selling shares worth ₹880.49 crore. Domestic institutional investors (DIIs) were also net sellers, selling shares worth ₹596.28 crore.
Stock Market Down Reason
The market decline is due to the escalating conflict between the US and Iran, which is also putting pressure on global markets. Meanwhile, this has kept crude oil prices firm. At the time of writing, Brent crude was trading 0.21 percent higher at $71.81 per barrel, while WTI crude was up 0.24 percent at $66.56 per barrel.
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