:::LALKAR GROUP::::

The key equity benchmarks traded with modest gains in the early afternoon trade as investor sentiment remained optimistic following the recently signed India-US trade deal agreement and positive global cues. Nifty traded above the 25,800 level, and Sensex crossed the 83,950 mark. Realty stocks extended gains for the second consecutive trading session.

At 12:30 ST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, jumped 398.45 points or 0.48% to 83,978.85. The Nifty 50 index rose 144.65 points or 0.56% to 25,838.

The broader market outperformed the frontline indices. The S&P BSE Mid-Cap index rose 1.27% and the S&P BSE Small-Cap index added 1.98%.

The market breadth was strong. On the BSE, 2,979 shares rose and 1,152 shares fell. A total of 192 shares were unchanged.

Derivatives:

The NSE's India VIX, a gauge of the market's expectation of volatility over the near term, rose 1.71% to 12.15. The Nifty 24 February 2026 futures were trading at 25,902.80, at a premium of 64.8 points as compared with the spot at 25,838.

The Nifty option chain for the 24 February 2026 expiry showed a maximum call OI of 53.6 lakh contracts at the 26,000 strike price. Maximum put OI of 59.5 lakh contracts was seen at 25,500 strike price.

Buzzing Index:

The Nifty Realty index rose 2.38% to 844.45. The index rose 3.02% in the two consecutive trading sessions.

Godrej Properties (up 5.87%), Anant Raj (up 3.75%), Brigade Enterprises (up 3.57%), Lodha Developers (up 2.53%) and Prestige Estates Projects (up 2.44%), Sobha (up 2.05%), SignatureGlobal India (up 1.93%), Oberoi Realty (up 1.53%), DLF (up 1.16%) and Phoenix Mills (up 0.77%) jumped.

Stocks in Spotlight:

Kalyan Jewellers India zoomed 11.91% after its consolidated net profit surged 90.24% to Rs 416.29 crore in Q3 FY26, supported by a 42.17% increase in revenue from operations to Rs 10,343.4 crore compared to the same period last year.

Shipping Corporation of India jumped 14.91% after the company reported a 436.24% surge in consolidated net profit to Rs 404.97 crore in Q3 FY26, compared with Rs 75.52 crore in Q3 FY25. Revenue from operations increased 22.5% year-on-year to Rs 1,611.67 crore for the quarter ended 31 December 2025.