Stock market today, Feb. 26 -- The Indian stock market ended on a cautious note on Wednesday. Despite a positive start, the key benchmark indices gradually pared early gains as profit booking at higher levels weighed on sentiment. The broader undertone remained measured, as investors refrained from aggressive positioning amid the absence of strong domestic triggers and mixed global cues.

Sectoral participation was selective throughout the session. Banking and select large-cap stocks provided stability, while the IT sector showed early signs of recovery through selective buying and short covering following recent weakness. However, the rebound in IT remained gradual rather than broad-based, indicating an improvement in sentiment but not y...