Sensex tumbles 1,236 points on selling in RIL, HDFC Bank amid escalating geopolitical tensions
The Hindu
Sensex drops 1,236 points amid geopolitical tensions, led by declines in RIL and HDFC Bank, fueling market volatility.
Benchmark Sensex tumbled 1,236 points or 1.5 per cent while Nifty closed near 25,450 on Thursday (February 19, 2026) following an across-the-board sell-off amid escalating geopolitical tensions between the U.S. and Iran.
Halting the three-day gaining streak, the 30-share BSE Sensex tumbled 1,236.11 points, or 1.48%, to settle at 82,498.14.
The 50-share NSE Nifty slumped 365 points, or 1.41%, to close at 25,454.35.
Among the Sensex constituents, IndiGo, Mahindra & Mahindra, UltraTech Cement, Trent, Bharat Electronics Ltd, Adani Ports, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Reliance Industries, Tech Mahindra, ITC, Eternal and PowerGrid were the major laggards.
"The bears took charge of the Indian market as rising geopolitical tensions between the U.S. and Iran unsettled global sentiment, leading to a broad-based sell-off," Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Investments Ltd, said.
He added that Brent crude surged to its year-to-date high, exacerbating inflationary concerns and triggering heightened market volatility due to the fear of the bottlenecking of the Strait of Hormuz.
RBI postpones the Unique Transaction Identifier implementation for OTC derivatives to January 2027, enhancing market oversight.
U.S. tariffs on India may drop to 18% within days, following President Trump's recent tariff reduction announcement.
ICAI probes Gensol and BluSmart for fund diversion; cases referred to disciplinary committee for further action.
Stock markets closed higher as last-hour buying in bank and metal shares drove gains for Sensex and Nifty indices.
Rupee rises 5 paise to 90.67 against the dollar, tempered by rising crude prices and a strong U.S. dollar.
India relaxes restrictions on Chinese equipment imports for power and coal projects, citing national interest amid delays and shortages.
Nvidia and OpenAI announce partnerships with Indian industry and academia to enhance AI education and infrastructure during the AI Impact Summit.
Explore the science, history, and enduring value that make gold one of humanity's most precious metals.
The statement by the UN in India said that discussions will focus on “how AI can accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals while safeguarding human rights and addressing emerging risks”.
Stock markets open lower, led by declines in IT and Services, while select stocks like ITC and Tata Steel gain.
Industry experts highlight conventional financing as a barrier to India's pharmaceutical innovation and drug discovery advancements.
The rupee rises 5 paise to 90.67 against the U.S. dollar amid falling crude prices and foreign investment inflows.
India’s information minister said that big tech platforms like Google’s YouTube, Meta , X and Netflix must operate within the country’s constitutional framework