Domestic equity benchmarks staged a recovery on Friday, February 20, 2026, bouncing back from a sharp sell-off in the previous session. Investor sentiment was bolstered by a rebound in heavyweights and a steady outlook for India’s economic growth. The Nifty 50 finished the day at 25,571.25, marking a gain of 116.90 points or 0.46%. The index recovered from earlier lows as broad-based buying offset initial volatility. The BSE Sensex closed 316.57 points higher, or 0.38%, to settle at 82,814.71. Market capitalization of BSE-listed firms grew by approximately 1.74 lakh crore during the session. While the headline indices ended in the green, market breadth remained somewhat cautious, with nearly 2,610 shares declining against 1,449 advancing on the BSE. The Realty sector led the gains, with the Nifty Realty index rising 0.60%. Top performers in the sector included Sobha, up 1.34%, and DLF, which rose 1.23%. Power and infrastructure stocks also showed strength, as NTPC climbed 3% following new solar project commissions, and Larsen & Toubro added 2%. In the industrial space, engineering firms like ABB India and Siemens saw significant traction, surging 8.22% and 5.88% respectively. However, the IT sector remained a laggard throughout the day, facing pressure from global geopolitical tensions and high-interest rate concerns in the US. The Indian rupee edged lower to 90.98 against the US dollar, while the 10-year benchmark federal paper yield rose to 6.715%. In commodities, Brent crude for April settlement climbed slightly to 71.47 per barrel, and MCX Gold futures reached 156,272. Recent economic data continues to support the long-term domestic narrative. ICRA has projected a GDP growth of 7.2% for the third quarter of 2025-26. Manufacturing GVA is showing strong momentum, accelerating toward a 9.13% growth rate, fueled by festive demand and government incentive schemes. Global cues remain mixed as markets weigh escalating US-Iran tensions and US trade deficit data. While Wall Street saw a slight decline in the previous session, Asian markets like the GIFT Nifty provided a positive lead-in for Indian equities today. The IPO market remains active with the opening of Gaudium IVF for subscription. Additionally, dairy firm Milky Mist has confirmed its plans for a 20.35 billion IPO later this year, signaling continued confidence in India’s primary market liquidity despite secondary market volatility.