Mumbai, India – February 25, 2026
India’s benchmark equity indices ended nearly flat on Wednesday after surrendering most of their early gains amid profit booking at higher levels. Despite a strong start supported by positive global cues, volatility through the session limited the upside.
The BSE Sensex rose 50.15 points to close at 82,276.07, while the Nifty 50 gained 57.85 points to settle at 25,482.50. The Indian rupee remained steady at 90.95 (provisional) against the U.S. dollar.
Market Recovers After Sharp Fall
The modest gains come a day after a sharp sell-off on Tuesday, when the Sensex plunged 1,068.74 points (1.28%) and the Nifty declined 288.35 points (1.12%).
During Wednesday’s trade, the Sensex surged as much as 731.99 points, or 0.89%, to hit an intraday high of 82,957.91. However, late-session profit booking erased much of the rally, resulting in a flat close.
Market participants cited volatility driven by global trade concerns and currency pressure as key factors limiting sustained upside momentum.
Top Gainers and Losers
Several Sensex constituents posted gains during the session.
Top Gainers:
HCL Technologies
Tata Steel
Tata Consultancy Services
InterGlobe Aviation
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries
Mahindra & Mahindra
Maruti Suzuki
Tech Mahindra
Top Losers:
Reliance Industries
State Bank of India
Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone
Eternal Limited
Expert View
According to Ratnam Chandra , Indian markets opened with a gap-up supported by strong global signals and easing uncertainty around artificial intelligence–related developments in U.S. technology stocks.
He noted that a dovish stance from the Bank of Japan supported broader Asian markets. However, renewed tariff-focused remarks from the U.S. President and depreciation pressure on the rupee weighed on investor sentiment, triggering profit booking at higher levels.
Global Market Overview
Asian markets closed firmly higher, with South Korea’s KOSPI, China’s Shanghai Composite, Japan’s Nikkei 225, and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index posting solid gains.
European markets were trading in positive territory, while U.S. equities ended higher in the previous session.
Exchange data showed foreign institutional investors (FIIs) sold shares worth ₹102.53 crore on Tuesday. In contrast, domestic institutional investors (DIIs) bought equities worth ₹3,161.22 crore, providing support to the market.
Meanwhile, global commodity prices remained relatively stable, with Brent crude slipping 0.14% to $70.67 per barrel.
Outlook
Wednesday’s session highlights continued volatility in Indian equities amid global trade tensions and tariff-related geopolitical concerns. Market direction in the coming sessions is likely to depend on domestic macroeconomic signals, currency movement, and global market trends.
