Indian markets suffered their steepest single-day fall in over two weeks on February 19, 2026, as escalating US-Iran tensions drove crude oil prices sharply higher, fueling inflation concerns and triggering broad-based profit booking. While major AI infrastructure announcements highlighted long-term optimism, immediate risk aversion and geopolitical uncertainty dominated sentiment, pulling benchmarks sharply lower.

Indian markets are poised for a positive start on February 19, 2026, with GIFT Nifty indicating firm opening momentum, tracking higher Asian peers and sustained domestic buying in PSU banks, metals, and IT. While trading proceeds normally, settlement halts due to a holiday may cap volumes, with early focus on fresh technical calls and sector-specific tailwinds.

Indian markets extended gains for a third session on February 18, 2026, driven by strong domestic buying in metals, PSU banks, and FMCG, which helped offset IT sector weakness and cautious global signals from the US Fed minutes. Liquidity support from the RBI and positive momentum in AI and infrastructure sectors further bolstered sentiment.