Indian equity markets saw a positive trading session today, February 18, 2026, with the Nifty 50 index extending its gains for the second consecutive day. The positive sentiment was first indicated by GIFT Nifty, which was up by 45 points in early trade. This rise suggested a firm opening for domestic benchmarks, influenced by improved global cues and strong performance in key sectors. The Nifty 50 closed at 25,725.40, marking a gain of 42.65 points, or 0.17%.^[1][2] ### GIFT Nifty Signals Positive Start GIFT Nifty, the derivative contract based on the Nifty 50 index traded on the NSE International Exchange (NSE IX) in GIFT City, acts as a crucial pre-market indicator for Indian markets. It reflects global market sentiment, offering insights into how the Nifty 50 might open.^{[3][4][5][6][7][8][9]} Its movements directly reflect global reactions to international developments that influence Indian equities.^[3][6] A positive momentum in GIFT Nifty often precedes higher openings for domestic indices.^[3] Today's 45-point increase in GIFT Nifty futures provided an early signal of optimism, helping traders and institutions plan their strategies before the National Stock Exchange (NSE) commenced regular trading.^[4][10] GIFT Nifty operates in two sessions, covering nearly 21 hours a day, which allows it to capture immediate market reactions to global events like Federal Reserve announcements or major corporate earnings, hours before Indian exchanges open.^[4][5][6] This extended trading window makes it a valuable tool for understanding global developments' potential influence on the Nifty 50.^[4][5] ### Nifty 50 Extends Gains, Key Levels to Watch The Nifty 50 index opened at 25,637.95 today, showing a firm undertone. It reached an intraday high of 25,764.40 and a low of 25,570.30 before closing at 25,725.40.^[1] The index's upward movement for the second consecutive session was supported by selective buying across various sectors. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) for Nifty 50 turned upward and moved above the 50 mark, signaling improving momentum in the market.^[1] For traders, monitoring key technical levels remains important. Near-term support levels for the Nifty 50 are identified at 25,309 and 25,050.^[1] These levels act as potential floors where buying interest could emerge if the market experiences a pullback. Conversely, resistance levels, where selling pressure might increase, are placed at 26,144 and 26,402.^[1] A decisive break above these resistance levels would indicate sustained bullish momentum. ### Sectoral Boost Drives Market Higher Several sectors contributed to the Nifty's positive performance today. Information Technology (IT) stocks saw a recovery, notably after Infosys announced a partnership with Anthropic to integrate its Claude AI models into enterprise solutions.^[1] This news provided a significant boost to the IT sector. Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) banks also showed considerable strength, outperforming their private counterparts.^[1] In addition to IT and PSU banks, selective buying in FMCG and capital goods stocks further supported the index.^[2] Leading the gains among individual stocks were companies like ADANIENT, ITC, BEL, INFY, and LT, which collectively provided key support to the Nifty 50.^[1] Other stocks like ASIANPAINT, HCLTECH, and ADANIPORTS also contributed to the overall market strength.^[1] ### Bank Nifty Outperforms with PSU Bank Rally The Nifty Bank index also closed higher today, gaining 224.90 points, or 0.37%, to settle at 61,174.00.^[1] This strong performance was primarily driven by robust buying in PSU banks, which demonstrated significant outperformance against private lenders.^[1] Specific PSU banks like BANKBARODA, PNB, UNIONBANK, and CANBK led the gains, with increases of 3.74%, 3.60%, 2.95%, and 2.34% respectively.^[1] Other banking heavyweights, including SBIN, HDFCBANK, and IDFCFIRSTB, also ended the session in positive territory, reflecting broad participation across the banking sector.^[1] The RSI for Bank Nifty moved above the 60 mark, indicating strengthening bullish momentum for the index.^[1] Key support levels for Bank Nifty are at 60,234 and 59,653, while resistance levels are at 62,114 and 62,695.^[1] ### Institutional Flows and Global Cues Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) and Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs) showed mixed activity in the Indian equity market on February 17, 2026. Provisional data indicated that FPIs bought shares worth Rs 995.21 crore, while DIIs were net buyers to the tune of Rs 187.04 crore.^[2][11] However, FIIs have been net sellers in the cash market so far in February, with sales totaling Rs 1,350.48 crore up to February 17, 2026. This trend follows significant cash sales in January and December.^[2] Global market cues played an important role in shaping today's sentiment. Asian stocks generally pushed higher, despite ongoing concerns about artificial intelligence.^[2] European markets also showed broad-based gains, signaling improving global risk sentiment.^[11] While US markets had a lackluster session overnight, the overall positive tone from Asian and European markets provided a supportive backdrop for Indian equities.^[2][11] ### Trading Setup for Today's Session For traders navigating today's session, the positive opening indicated by GIFT Nifty suggested a potential for upward movement in the Nifty 50. Understanding GIFT Nifty's direction helps anticipate opening gaps and plan trades before the domestic market opens.^[10] Retail traders use GIFT Nifty as an indicator to identify bullish or bearish biases, rather than trading the instrument directly.^[10] The initial hours of the Indian stock market, specifically from 9:15 AM to 11:00 AM, are often characterized by high volatility and volume, offering opportunities for quick trading.^[12][13] However, the first 15 minutes (9:15 AM to 9:30 AM) can be extremely erratic due to reactions to overnight news and pre-market orders.^[13] Experienced traders often look for opening range breakouts during this period, while beginners are generally advised to wait until the market settles, typically after 9:30 AM.^[13] Strategies focusing on support and resistance breakouts are common in volatile markets. When a stock or index moves past a major resistance level, it may signal the start of an upward trend. Conversely, breaking below a key support level can indicate a downward trend.^[14] Traders also consider momentum indicators like RSI to confirm the strength of a trend.^[1][14] The overall technical structure suggests a positive reversal setup with a mild upside bias, though elevated volatility levels warrant caution.^[15] Traders should continue to monitor global futures, crude oil prices, and volatility levels throughout the day. During market hours, focusing on Nifty and Bank Nifty support and resistance levels, along with sectoral leadership and volume confirmation on breakouts, will be crucial for informed decision-making.

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