Stock Market Crash: Sensex sinks 800 pts, Mid & Smallcaps bleed; only 1 stock in green

Stock Market Crash: Indian equity benchmarks remained under heavy pressure on Friday, February 13, 2026, extending losses for the second consecutive session as a sharp sell-off in information technology (IT) stocks, weak global cues and concerns over prolonged high US interest rates dented investor sentiment.

At around 11:33 am, the BSE Sensex was trading at 82,837.19, down 837.73 points or 1.00 per cent. The NIFTY 50 slipped 270.70 points or 1.05 per cent to 25,536.50. Earlier in the session, the Sensex had fallen over 900 points intraday, while the Nifty dropped below the 25,550 mark.

Market breadth stayed weak, with 27 of the 30 Sensex constituents trading in the red. Heavyweight stocks such as Infosys, TCS, HCL Tech, Tech Mahindra, Hindustan Unilever, Adani Ports, Trent, Tata Steel and Larsen & Toubro declined between 1 and 6 per cent, adding to the downside pressure.

Add Zee Business as a Preferred Source

The broader market also mirrored the weakness on the benchmarks. The Nifty MidCap 100 index was down about 1.6 per cent, while the Nifty SmallCap 100 slipped nearly 1.8 per cent, reflecting widespread selling across segments.

IT stocks lead the rout

All sectoral indices were trading in the red, with the Nifty IT index emerging as the worst performer, sliding nearly 5 per cent. The index had already fallen to a more than nine-month low in the previous session. The sell-off intensified after the American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) of Infosys dropped 9.8 per cent overnight on the New York Stock Exchange, while Wipro ADRs declined 4.6 per cent.

Sentiment in IT stocks has been hit by growing concerns over the impact of artificial intelligence on traditional business models, coupled with worries about a slowdown in discretionary technology spending by global clients.

US rate concerns weigh on sentiment

Investor mood was further dampened by strong US economic data. Better-than-expected growth figures and a marginal decline in the US unemployment rate have reduced expectations of an early interest rate cut by the US Federal Reserve. A prolonged high interest rate environment is generally unfavourable for growth-oriented and technology stocks, as elevated borrowing costs can curb corporate spending.

For Indian IT companies, which derive a significant portion of their revenue from US-based clients, any moderation in American corporate technology spending could weigh on order inflows and near-term revenue visibility.

Metal stocks and commodities under pressure

Metal stocks also came under selling pressure, with the Nifty Metal index falling over 3 per cent intraday, tracking weakness in global commodity prices. In the international market, spot gold fell more than 3 per cent in the previous session to a near one-week low, while spot silver slumped around 11 per cent, pressured by a stronger US dollar.

Weak global cues

Global markets provided little support. US equities closed lower for the third straight session on Thursday, led by a sharp sell-off in technology stocks ahead of key US inflation data. Asian markets were mostly lower on Friday, tracking Wall Street’s losses, amid concerns over AI-led disruption and a higher-for-longer interest rate outlook in the US.

With global uncertainties persisting and sector-wide selling pressure intact, market participants remained cautious, keeping volatility elevated across Indian equities.