Markets Daily India

Bulls Warming Up to India Small Caps as Earnings Improve

Smaller firms posted a 29% jump in December-quarter earnings.

Statues outside the National Stock Exchange building in Mumbai.Photographer: Dhiraj Singh/Bloomberg

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By Chiranjivi Chakraborty and Savio Shetty

February 18, 2026 at 2:47 AM UTC

This article is for subscribers only.

Good morning...

I’m Savio Shetty, tracking equities in Mumbai, bringing you your daily dose of news and analyses ahead of the trading session.

Asian stocks are trading higher, which should lend support to the Nifty 50 Index. The benchmark notched a second straight day of gains on Tuesday, closing above the crucial 100-day moving average. Continued short-covering by foreign investors is adding to an increasingly constructive setup for traders. Volumes may be thinner than usual, with large parts of Asia still closed for the Lunar New Year. Oil prices eased in early trading amid signs of progress in US-Iran nuclear talks — a development that could offer some relief to the rupee and local bonds. Investors will also be watching for Fed signals and geopolitical headlines.

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