Market Brief: India Equities Slump Indian equity benchmarks saw a sharp reversal on **February 19, 2026**, as early gains vanished under intense selling pressure. The **BSE Sensex** plummeted **535.30 points** or **0.64%** to trade at **83,198.95**. Similarly, the **Nifty 50** slid **131.35 points** or **0.51%**, struggling to hold the **25,688.85** level. The downturn wiped out approximately **₹2.73 lakh crore** in investor wealth during the session. While the morning trade showed a modest recovery, profit booking at higher levels quickly dragged the indices into the red. Key Market Indicators * **BSE Sensex:** 83,198.95 (**-0.64%**) * **Nifty 50:** 25,688.85 (**-0.51%**) * **India VIX:** 12.71 (**+3.99%**) * **Gold (24K):** ₹15,649 per gram * **Silver:** ₹270 per gram Sector Performance and Drags The decline was broad-based, with the **Nifty Realty index** leading the losers, dropping **1.43%**. Major real estate players like **Lodha** and **DLF** fell over **1.6%** each. The **FMCG** sector faced significant heat as **Hindustan Unilever (HUL)** dropped **2.28%** and **ITC** fell **4.31%**. Metal and Auto stocks also faced persistent selling, while the **IT sector** remained weak following reports of **FII outflows** totaling over **₹10,956 crore** in the first half of February. Global and Macro Pressures Sentiment was further weighed down by a hawkish stance from the **US Federal Reserve**. Minutes from the latest meeting indicated that officials remain divided on rate cuts, favoring a steady hold until inflation shows more consistent progress. Geopolitical tensions between the **US and Iran** kept crude oil prices volatile. High energy costs continue to pose a risk to India’s fiscal outlook, contributing to the cautious environment. Breadth and Institutional Activity Market breadth leaned negative as **2,114 shares** declined on the BSE compared to **1,656** gainers. Despite the slump in frontline indices, the **SmallCap index** showed relative resilience, falling only **0.16%**. Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) have been net sellers in the cash market this month, while Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs) provided only partial support through selective buying in defensive stocks.