Based on the market data for Friday, February 20, 2026, here are the top stock market news updates and highlights from India.

Market Overview

1. Indices Close Green: The Indian stock market extended gains for the third consecutive session. The BSE Sensex rose 283.29 points (0.34%) to close at 83,734.25, while the Nifty 50 gained 93.95 points (0.37%) to end at 25,819.35.
2. Bank Nifty Strong: The Bank Nifty index outperformed the benchmarks, rising 0.62% to close at 61,550.80, driven by strong buying in state-owned lenders.
3. PSU Banks Hit Record: The Nifty PSU Bank index surged 1.3% to hit a fresh record high, with Punjab National Bank (PNB) leading the pack (up over 3%).
4. Broader Market Outperformance: Midcap and Smallcap indices performed well, with the Nifty 500 ending higher. Market breadth favored the bulls, with significantly more advancing stocks than declining ones.
5. Volatility Drops: India VIX, the fear gauge, cooled off significantly, dropping 6.41% to 13.53 levels, indicating easing nervousness among traders.

Top Gainers & Losers

6. Top Nifty Gainers: Major gainers included Reliance Industries (RIL), ITC (up ~2%), Tata Steel (up ~3%), and Axis Bank.
7. Godfrey Phillips Surges: Shares of Godfrey Phillips skyrocketed 20% to hit the upper circuit, emerging as the star performer of the day.
8. IT Sector Bleeds: The IT sector was the biggest laggard, dragging the market down due to renewed concerns over AI disruption. Wipro, Tech Mahindra, HCL Tech, and Infosys fell between 1% and 2%.
9. Zomato (Eternal) Falls: Shares of Eternal (formerly Zomato) traded weak, slipping approximately 1.5% to ₹277.35.

Corporate News & Announcements

10. L&T Hits Record High: Shares of Larsen & Toubro (L&T) hit a fresh all-time high after announcing a strategic tie-up with Nvidia to develop AI infrastructure.
11. Netweb Technologies Zooms 14%: Netweb Technologies shares jumped 14% after the company launched "Tyrone Camarero Spark," a 'Make in India' AI supercomputer powered by Nvidia Blackwell GPUs.
12. Power Mech Wins Big Order: Power Mech Projects surged 5% after securing orders worth ₹1,005 crore, including a major contract from Adani Group units.
13. Dilip Buildcon L1 Bidder: The infrastructure major rose 4% after being declared the lowest bidder (L1) for a ₹702 crore flood control project in Gujarat.
14. Safari Industries Pact: Safari Industries signed a 20-year licensing agreement to use the premium Carlton luggage brand in India.
15. Dabur CEO Reshuffle: Dabur India shares slipped nearly 2% following news of a leadership change, with the current CEO elevated to a global role and a new lead appointed.
16. Ola Electric Gains: Ola Electric shares rose over 4.5%, seeing renewed investor interest after recent volatility.
17. Kwality Wall's Up 5%: In a rare move for the specific entity listed as Kwality Wall's India, the stock rose 5% (Note: Likely referring to a specific listed entity or unit in this timeline).

Global & Economic Cues

18. Asian Markets Rally: Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose 1%, while other Asian markets remained mostly positive. Chinese markets were closed for the Lunar New Year.
19. Commodity Update: Silver prices surged 2%, and Gold rebounded by ₹2,000/10g on the MCX, tracking global cues.
20. FII Activity: Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) have reportedly been net buyers in the cash market for 8 of the last 13 sessions, signalling returning confidence in Indian equities.