Synopsis: Tata Consultancy Services (NSE: TCS) shares plummeted 5.07% to an intraday low of ₹2,579 on February 13, 2026, marking a fresh 52-week low. The crash, which evaporated over ₹50,000 Crore in market valuation, was triggered by a dual-threat of Anthropic’s new autonomous AI “coworkers” and stronger-than-expected US jobs data. This combination has sparked fears of a structural decline in traditional IT outsourcing and a prolonged high-interest rate regime in the US.
On February 13, 2026, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) witnessed a brutal sell-off, with its share price sliding over 5% in early trade to touch ₹2,579 on the NSE. This sharp decline has pushed India’s largest IT exporter’s market capitalization firmly below the ₹10 Lakh Crore mark, allowing State Bank of India (SBI) to overtake it as the fourth most valuable firm in India. The carnage on Dalal Street follows a massive tech rout on the Nasdaq, as global investors panic over the “agentic AI” era.
The sell-off has been unsparing, with TCS now trading below all its key moving averages. Investors are reacting to a fundamental shift in the IT landscape, where the traditional labor-arbitrage model is being directly challenged by autonomous AI agents that can perform complex coding and maintenance tasks at a fraction of the cost.
Why is TCS stock falling today?
The primary catalyst is the “Anthropic Shock.” The recent launch of Claude 4.6 and its “digital coworker” agents has moved AI from a helper tool to a potential replacement for human-intensive workflows. This has triggered what many are calling a “SaaSpocalypse,” with fears that up to 40% of traditional IT revenue in maintenance and testing could be at risk of deflation as clients pivot to autonomous solutions.
Simultaneously, the US Labor Department reported stronger-than-expected employment figures, with unemployment falling to 4.3%. For TCS, which earns the lion’s share of its revenue from the US, this data suggests that the US Federal Reserve will keep interest rates “higher for longer.” High rates typically lead to a freeze in discretionary tech spending by Fortune 500 clients, further clouding the growth outlook for FY27.
TCS vs Peer Performance: Q3 FY26 Market Bloodbath
| Company | Share Price Fall (%) | Market Cap Loss (₹ Cr) | Current Status |
| TCS | 5.07% ↓ | ₹52,400 Cr | 52-Week Low |
| Infosys | 7.61% ↓ | ₹44,200 Cr | Worst Fall in 12 Months |
| Wipro | 4.45% ↓ | ₹18,900 Cr | Multi-year Support |
The “Analyst Consensus” on TCS
Institutional brokerages have turned cautious, citing a lack of clarity on how legacy IT firms will monetize AI.
- Geojit Investments: Warns that the “Anthropic shock” is not just a trend but a structural change that could shorten delivery timelines, putting immense pressure on headcount-based pricing.
- Jefferies: Maintains that the “get me out” style selling reflects a rapid shift in sentiment from ‘AI helps these companies’ to ‘AI replaces them.’
- Technical View: Analysts note that TCS has broken its psychologically critical support at ₹2,740. Until the stock stabilizes above this level, the Aam Aadmi is advised to avoid “catching a falling knife.”
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The Bottom Line
The ₹50,000 Crore wipeout in Tata wealth today is a wake-up call for investors betting on traditional IT stability. As AI agents begin to autonomously execute multi-step workflows, TCS must rapidly prove its ability to transition toward “outcome-based pricing” to protect its long-term valuation.
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