Stock Market Cues Next Week: Inflation Data, FPI Flows And Other Triggers To Keep A Track

Equity benchmark indices ended the week on a subdued note, surrendering early gains, as a brutal sell-off in IT stocks over artificial intelligence (AI)-led disruption dented investor sentiment. The Sensex declined 953.64 points, or 1.14 per cent, while the Nifty slipped 222.60 points, down 0.86 per cent for the week. At close on February 13, 2026, the Sensex settled at 82,626.76, down 1,048.16 points, or 1.25 per cent, while the Nifty 50 closed at 25,471.10, down 336.10 points, 1.30 per cent.

The broader rout was visible in market breadth as well. The total market capitalisation of companies listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) eroded by Rs 7.02 lakh crore during the period. This pulled the aggregate valuation down to Rs 465.46 lakh crore by February 13.

Key Stock Market Cues To Watch Next Week

In the coming week, from February 16-20, market participants will keep a close watch on a mix of macroeconomic data releases and global geopolitical developments that could shape near-term sentiment.

India’s CPI Inflation Data

India’s retail inflation rose to 2.75 per cent year-on-year (y-o-y) in January 2026, mainly due to higher prices of food items and precious metals. This is the first data release under the new consumer price index (CPI) series that uses 2024 as the base year.

Inflation in rural areas was 2.73 per cent, while urban inflation stood at 2.77 per cent, showing similar price trends across regions.

Even with this increase, inflation has stayed below the 4 per cent target set by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for 12 months in a row under the revised CPI series. The RBI aims to keep inflation within a 2–6 per cent range. Retail inflation was 1.33 per cent in December 2025 under the older 2012-base series.

US CPI Inflation

The US CPI inflation rose 2.40 per cent y-o-y, coming in marginally below economists’ estimate of a 2.50 per cent increase in a poll conducted by Reuters.

Q3FY26 Earnings

As the Q3 earnings come to an end, as many as 465 companies listed on the BSE are set to report their earnings on February 14. These include Easy Trip Planners, Patel Engineering, Sigachi industries, Lux Industries and PTC India, among others. Market participants will be reacting to these earnings.

FPI Flows

So far, February has seen a reversal in foreign portfolio investor (FPI) flows. According to the National Securities Depository (NSDL), FPIs bought Indian equities worth Rs 19,675 crore. This was followed by an outflow worth Rs 35,962 crore in January.

US Stock Market

Stocks on Wall Street closed with slight gains on February 13, 2026, as investors assessed the US retail inflation data for January.

Asian Stock Markets

Asian stock markets largely fell, tracking the sell-off seen on Wall Street due to the concerns over the AI-led disruption. Japan's Nikkei 225 fell 1.21 per cent, South Korea’s Kospi slipped 0.28 per cent, China’s CSI 300 tumbled 1.25 per cent, and the Hong Kong-based Hang Seng plunged 1.72 per cent.