Indian markets are poised for a weak opening on February 17, 2026, as Gift Nifty signals a negative start amid mixed Asian cues and continued foreign outflows. Despite strong domestic buying and resilience in banking and infrastructure themes, global caution ahead of Lunar New Year holidays may cap early gains. Fresh analyst calls highlight selective opportunities in pharma, shipping, and rail stocks.

Indian equities staged a strong recovery on February 16, 2026, driven by broad-based buying in banking, energy, and power sectors, supported by sustained domestic institutional flows. The rebound overcame early IT sector weakness and regulatory tightening, while tech infrastructure announcements and AI-focused initiatives added long-term optimism.

Indian markets opened the week on a cautious note, tracking mixed global cues and lingering IT sector pressures from AI disruption fears. While the India-US trade deal offered support, a subdued GIFTNifty and selective sectoral resilience in realty, defense, and banking set the tone for a range-bound session.