GIFT Nifty Opening Update
GIFT Nifty opened today at 25,399.50. It is up 34.50 points (0.14%) from yesterday’s close of 25,405.00— so the trend is positive.
The Indian equity benchmarks are poised for a lower opening on Friday, February 20, as suggested by GIFT NIFTY futures. NIFTY futures at GIFT City in Ahmedabad decreased by 17 points to 25,430, reflecting the negative signals from Asian markets. The Indian equity benchmarks experienced a significant decline on Thursday, February 19, marking their most challenging day since Budget Day, driven by widespread selling as investor sentiment became wary in light of escalating geopolitical tensions.
The SENSEX experienced a decline of up to 1,470 points, while the NIFTY50 index reached an intraday low of 25,388, primarily influenced by losses in major index constituents such as Reliance Industries, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Bharti Airtel, Mahindra & Mahindra, and Axis Bank. The SENSEX fell by 1,236 points, representing a decline of 1.5%, closing at 82,498. Meanwhile, the NIFTY50 index decreased by 365 points, or 1.4%, finishing at 25,454.
Equities to monitor:
- Novartis India shares are set to attract attention as its promoter, Novartis AG, has consented to divest a majority stake in the company to a consortium of investors spearheaded by ChrysCapital. In a recent filing with the stock exchange, Novartis India announced that Novartis AG has finalized a share purchase agreement (SPA) with WaveRise Investments Limited, ChrysCapital Fund X, and Two Infinity Partners to sell 1.74 crore fully paid-up equity shares, which accounts for 70.68% of the company’s paid-up equity share capital.
- ABB India will attract attention after the announcement of the company’s results for the December quarter. PAT decreased by 18% year-over-year to Rs 434 crore, whereas revenue increased by 6% year-over-year. The organization achieved its highest Q4 orders in the past five years, reflecting a 52% increase; there was robust growth in the core business, further bolstered by the timing of significant orders.
- CIE Automotive India has announced a 10.4% increase in net profit year-on-year, reaching Rs 204.3 crore, in contrast to Rs 185 crore during the same period last year. Net revenue rose by 13.4% to Rs 2,393 crore compared to Rs 2,110 crore, while EBITDA saw an increase of 11.7% to Rs 335 crore from Rs 299 crore in the previous year. Nonetheless, the EBITDA margin experienced a minor decrease to 14% compared to 14.2% on a year-over-year basis.
- Pace Digitek has been granted an advance letter of award amounting to Rs 890.69 million (inclusive of GST) from RAILTEL for the provision, installation, and commissioning of an IP-based video surveillance system in LHB coaches. This includes a 3-year warranty and an additional 5 years of CAMC for a customer of RAILTEL (COR) on a back-to-back basis.
- IT stocks experienced a significant overnight sell-off, highlighted by Infosys ADR decreasing by 3.3%, Wipro ADR down by 2.6%, Globant falling by 7.3%, EPAM Systems dropping by 17%, Cognizant slipping by 2.7%, and Accenture losing 3.8%.
- Oil-linked stocks such as upstream oil companies, downstream firms, aviation, tyre, and paint companies, are anticipated to be in the spotlight. Oil prices increased by approximately 2% on Thursday, hitting their peak in six months, driven by rising tensions between the United States and Iran, which raised worries about possible supply disruptions in the oil-rich Middle East. Brent crude futures increased by $1.23, or 1.8%, reaching $71.58 a barrel at 1551, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude saw a rise of $1.34, or 2.1%, to $66.53, as reported by a source. After a rise exceeding 4% on Wednesday, Brent is poised for its highest closing price since July 31, while WTI is set for its most robust settlement since August 1.
- Zydus Lifesciences – The US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) carried out a Pre-Approval Inspection (PAI) for injectable medical devices at the company’s Unit 9 facility situated at Zydus Biotech Park, Changodar, Ahmedabad. The examination took place between February 16 and 19, 2026. The inspection concluded with no observations noted.
- Swiggy shares are set to attract attention, as news reports indicate that the company has opted to close Snacc, a dedicated app introduced for 15-minute food deliveries, merely a year after its launch, due to challenges in achieving profitability with orders.