Market Overview Indian benchmark indices faced a significant retreat on **Thursday, February 12, 2026**, as a massive sell-off in the technology sector overshadowed broader market sentiment. The **BSE Sensex** plummeted **558.72 points**, or **0.66%**, to settle at **83,674.92**. Similarly, the **NSE Nifty 50** snapped its four-day winning streak, declining **146.65 points** or **0.57%** to end at **25,807.20**. The broader market also felt the heat, with the Nifty Midcap 100 dropping **0.47%** and the Smallcap 100 falling **0.64%**. IT Sector Crisis The **Nifty IT index** was the day's primary laggard, tumbling a massive **5.51%** to close at **33,160**. This sharp decline was triggered by escalating fears that new, advanced artificial intelligence agents—specifically recent releases from firms like Anthropic—could automate core services traditionally handled by Indian software firms. **Tata Consultancy Services (TCS)** saw its market capitalization slip below the psychological **₹10 lakh crore** mark for the first time since late 2020. The stock hit a fresh 52-week low of **₹2,752.75**, down over **5%** during the session. Other major technology losers included: * **Tech Mahindra**: Down **6.40%** * **Infosys**: Down **5.97%** * **Coforge**: Down **6.61%** * **HCL Technologies**: Down **5.20%** Economic Headwinds Sentiment was further dampened by stronger-than-expected **U.S. jobs data** for January. The robust labor market has led investors to believe the **U.S. Federal Reserve** will keep interest rates higher for longer, fading hopes for a near-term rate cut. Domestically, the **Reserve Bank of India (RBI)** recently kept the repo rate unchanged at **5.25%**, maintaining a neutral stance while monitoring global volatility and the impact of international trade deals. Sectoral Highlights and Gainers While most sectors ended in the red, the **Consumer Durables** index managed a modest gain of **0.50%**. Despite the sea of red, specific stocks showed resilience: * **Bajaj Finance**: Surged **3.31%** * **Shriram Finance**: Rose **2.48%** * **Eicher Motors**: Gained **2.13%** * **ICICI Bank**: Up **1.84%** **Hindustan Copper** also saw trading interest following recent board approvals for interim dividends and firm global copper pricing trends, even as the broader metals space remained volatile. Technical Outlook The **Nifty 50** slipped below its immediate support levels during the session, hitting an intraday low of **25,750**. Analysts noted that the **Nifty IT index** has now fallen approximately **12%** in 2026 so far, reflecting a deep-seated recalibration of valuations within the tech industry due to structural shifts in the global software landscape.