Sensex Falls 1,048 Points, Global Cues & FII Flows To Drive Markets Next Week

Mumbai: Indian stock markets closed sharply lower on Friday due to weak global signals and concerns about artificial intelligence affecting the global economy.

The BSE Sensex fell 1,048 points, or 1.25 percent, to close at 82,626.76.

The NSE Nifty 50 dropped 336 points, or 1.30 percent, to end at 25,471.10.

Key Levels To Watch

According to Choice Broking, Nifty faces immediate resistance at 25,700. Strong support is seen at 25,300.

If Nifty falls below 25,300, selling pressure may increase further. If it moves above 25,700, positive sentiment could return.

Traders are advised to follow a range-bound strategy with strict stop-loss.

Focus On Policy Minutes

Investors will closely watch the minutes of the latest meeting of the Federal Reserve, scheduled for February 18.

US GDP data for the October–December quarter will also be important.

In India, the minutes of the recent monetary policy meeting of the Reserve Bank of India will be released on February 20.

IT Sector Under Pressure

The IT sector saw heavy selling last week. The Nifty IT index fell nearly 8 percent, making it the worst-performing sector.

Major companies like Tata Consultancy Services, Infosys and Wipro came under pressure.

Investors are worried that new artificial intelligence technologies may reduce demand for traditional outsourcing services.

FII Activity And Commodities

Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) will play a key role in deciding market direction. So far in February, they have been net buyers on most trading days.

Gold and silver prices are also being watched closely after recent volatility.

Overall, next week’s market movement will depend on global signals, policy updates and investor activity.