Last Updated:February 17, 2026, 16:12 IST

The BSE Sensex rises 173.81 points or 0.21% to close at 83,450.96, while the NSE Nifty inches up by 42.65 points or 0.17% to end the day above the 25,700 level at 25,725.40.

Stock Market Today.

Stock Market Today: Indian equities ended February 16 on a mildly positive note as benchmark indices moved in a narrow range, as participants refrained from aggressive positioning in the absence of strong domestic triggers and amid mixed global cues. This is the second day in a row when markets managed to close in green. The BSE Sensex rose 173.81 points or 0.21% to close at 83,450.96, while the NSE Nifty inched up by 42.65 points or 0.17% to end the day above the 25,700 level at 25,725.40.

The Bank Nifty rose 0.37% to 61,174, remaining close to its 52-week high of 61,764, aided by strength in select banking heavyweights.

Broader Markets Outperform

The broader market space extended its outperformance versus frontline indices, indicating sustained risk appetite. The Smallcap 100 gained 0.56%, Microcap 250 advanced 0.99%, and MidSmallcap 400 rose 0.44%.

Sectoral Trends Mixed; PSU Banks Lead

Sectoral performance remained scattered, with clear stock-specific action rather than a broad-based trend. The PSU Bank index jumped 2.11%, emerging as the session’s top gainer and inching closer to its yearly peak, pointing to renewed buying interest in state-run lenders. IT stocks climbed 1.03%, extending their rebound, while FMCG added 0.90%, supported by defensive buying.

Metals Drag; Realty, Oil & Gas Slip

On the losing side, metal stocks declined 1.06%, making the pack’s weakest performer, likely due to global commodity caution and profit booking after recent rallies. Oil & Gas and Realty indices also closed marginally lower.

Volatility Eases Further

Market volatility softened, with India VIX falling 4.93% to 12.67, signalling reduced hedging activity and relatively calm trader sentiment.

What Analysts Say

Vinod Nair, head of research, Geojit Investments Ltd, said, “Domestic markets traded in a range-bound manner, attempting to recover recent losses triggered by lingering concerns over AI-led disruptions. The IT sector, following a sharp correction, witnessed selective bottom-fishing, aided by announcements of strategic collaborations with global AI partners. Meanwhile, PSU banks outperformed the broader indices, supported by positive Q3 results and favourable regulatory tailwinds.”

In the near term, sentiment is likely to remain cautious as investors monitor global developments around AI-driven shifts. However, a resilient GDP outlook, and a stabilising rupee may provide support to renewed FII inflows, he added.

Nilesh Jain, vice-president and head of technical and derivative research at Centrum Finverse Ltd, said, “The Nifty extended its upward momentum for the second straight session, successfully filling Friday’s gap. It closed above its 100-DMA near 25,700, indicating improving strength. However, the index faced resistance around the 50-DMA placed at 25,750, a decisive breakout above this level could pave the way for further upside towards 26,000. On the downside, immediate support has shifted higher to 25,600. Meanwhile, India VIX cooled off sharply, declining by nearly 5% to slip below the 13 mark.”

Any further easing in volatility is likely to remain supportive of bullish sentiment. Overall, the broader structure continues to look positive, and a buy-on-dips approach should be maintained as long as the Nifty holds above the 25,400 zone, he added.

Ponmudi R, CEO of Enrich Money, a SEBI – registered online trading and wealth tech firm, said, “Indian equity markets traded with a mildly positive yet cautious undertone, as participants refrained from aggressive positioning in the absence of strong domestic triggers and amid mixed global cues The banking space once again acted as a structural pillar, stabilising the broader indices during intraday volatility. The IT sector witnessed selective bargain buying and short-covering, leading to a measured recovery. While this rebound does not yet signal a confirmed trend reversal, it increases the probability of an early-stage bottom formation — a development worth monitoring closely in the coming sessions.”

Market participants continue to await clear external catalysts before committing to the next decisive directional move. On the macro front, the rupee remained broadly stable, reflecting balanced dollar demand and the absence of currency-led stress. Steady domestic liquidity flows continue to cushion downside risks, reinforcing the underlying resilience of the market structure, he added.

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India’s mutual fund industry began 2026 on an optimistic note, with total assets under management (AUM) rising to Rs 81.01 lakh crore in January, up 20.5% from Rs 67.25 lakh crore a year earlier. Over the past 12 months alone, the industry has added more than Rs 13.8 lakh crore to its asset base.The long-term growth trend remains intact. Industry AUM has expanded at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 22% over five years and 20% over the past decade that ended in January 2026.

Equity-led expansion

Equity-oriented schemes continued to anchor growth, making 87% of individual investors assets. Their AUM rose to Rs 58.02 lakh crore from Rs 48.13 lakh crore a year ago, marking a 20.6% increase. Fixed income-oriented AUM also climbed 20.2% year-on-year to Rs 23 lakh crore.Equity’s share in total industry assets stood at 59.8% in January this year, hinging near the 59.7% recorded a year ago. Over the past year, equity AUM increased from around Rs 40.2 lakh crore to nearly Rs 48.5 lakh crore.Equity net sales have remained positive for 59 consecutive months. Net sales excluding SIPs and new fund offers (NFOs) also stayed in positive territory in January 2026 according to a recent report by Franklin Templeton.

SIPs continue momentum

Systematic Investment Plan (SIP) inflows reached Rs 31,002 crore in January 2026, up 17% from Rs 26,400 crore in January 2025. Meanwhile, monthly SIP flows have doubled in less than three years.SIP AUM rose to Rs 16.36 lakh crore, compared with Rs 13.20 lakh crore a year ago, reflecting 24% growth. SIP assets now account for 28.2% of total equity AUM, up from 27.4% last year.Total SIP accounts stood at 10.29 crore in January 2026. During the month, 74.11 lakh new SIP accounts were registered, an all-time high. Discontinued SIP accounts numbered 55.46 lakh, with discontinued SIPs as a percentage of registrations falling to 75% in January 2026 from 109% a year ago. The rise in discontinuations has been attributed to reconciliation of inactive SIP accounts between RTAs and exchanges.Over the last 12 months, aggregate SIP flows reached Rs 3.40 lakh crore, up from Rs 2.76 lakh crore in the previous year. Since FY17, aggregate SIP contributions have grown nearly seven times at a 24% CAGR. The average SIP ticket size increased to Rs 3,012 per month from Rs 2,571 a year earlier.

Investor base expands

The number of unique investor accounts rose to 6.02 crore in January 2026 from 5.33 crore a year ago, reflecting 12.8% growth. Around 12.14 lakh investors were added during January alone. Over the past year, 68 lakh new investors joined the fold, compared with 103 lakh in the same period last year.Individuals accounted for 60% of total AUM, while institutions held 40%. Direct plans represented 49% of total AUM, up from 46% a year ago. Direct individual investments comprised 29% of total individual AUM, compared with 27% last year.

Passive assets achieve record levels

Passive fund AUM reached Rs 15.02 lakh crore in January 2026, up 38% from Rs 10.91 lakh crore a year earlier. Passive strategies now form 19% of total AUM, compared with 16% last year and 12% in January 2022.Within passive funds, domestic equity passives accounted for 64.3% of passive AUM in January 2026, debt passives 13.3%, commodity passives 19.9%, international passives 2.2% and other index funds 0.3%.Equity-oriented ETFs made up 79% of domestic equity passive AUM, with index funds comprising 21%. In debt passives, target maturity index funds accounted for 48%, debt-oriented ETFs 49% and other categories 3%, the report said.

NFO flows and category trends

Aggregate NFO collections over the past year totalled Rs 65,100 crore. Equity funds contributed 61% of this amount, or Rs 39,433 crore. Among equity categories, flexi cap funds recorded the highest net sales over the last 12 months. Small cap, mid cap and large & mid cap funds also saw substantial inflows. Most equity categories posted positive net sales in January 2026.Debt categories witnessed positive net flows during the month, led by money market-oriented funds. Total net sales across open-ended debt categories stood at Rs 74,827 crore in January. Hybrid schemes saw strong activity as well, with arbitrage funds recording the highest gross and net sales over the past year.

Bank deposits on a rise

Mutual fund AUM as a percentage of bank deposits rose to 32.6% in January 2026, up from 30.4% a year earlier. Over the past decade, this ratio has tripled. While mutual fund AUM has grown at a 22% CAGR over five years, bank deposits have expanded at 11% over the same period.Geographically, assets continue to broaden beyond the largest cities. The share of B30 cities in industry AUM increased to 18% in January 2026 from 16% in December 2020, with B30 AUM growing at a 24% CAGR over five years compared with 20% for the top 30 cities.Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru remained the top three contributors to industry AUM as of December 2025.