Muhurat trading 2026: date and timings
Muhurat trading is the short special stock market session held on Diwali, marking the start of the new Samvat year. In 2026 it is on Sunday, 8 November, with normal trading from 2:20 PM to 3:30 PM IST on NSE and BSE.
Muhurat trading 2026 schedule (NSE)
| Session | Timing (IST) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-open session | 2:05 PM – 2:20 PM | Order entry 2:05–2:15 PM, then order matching |
| Normal market | 2:20 PM – 3:30 PM | 70 minutes of normal trading |
| Closing session | From 3:30 PM | Closing auction and closing-price process, as per the NSE circular |
Detailed windows (block deals, closing auction, trade modification) are in the NSE circular. Your broker may stop taking some orders a few minutes earlier, so check their cut-off times.
What is Muhurat trading?
"Muhurat" means an auspicious time. Every year on Diwali, the exchanges open for a short session at a time chosen for the start of the new Hindu accounting year, Samvat. Muhurat trading 2026 marks the start of Samvat 2083. Many investors place small, symbolic buy orders as a tradition; others simply follow the session.
Things to know
- Trades settle normally. NSE says all trades in the Muhurat session result in settlement obligations.
- It is a short session. Trading lasts about an hour, so volumes are usually lower than on a normal day.
- F&O contracts trade too. Margins and position rules apply as on any trading day.
- Diwali week: Monday 9 November is a normal trading day; Tuesday 10 November (Diwali Balipratipada) is a holiday.
- NIFTY expiry moves: with Tuesday a holiday, the NIFTY weekly expiry is on Monday, 9 November. See the F&O expiry calendar.
Past Muhurat trading timings
| Year | Date | Normal market (IST) | New year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Sunday, 8 November | 2:20 PM – 3:30 PM | Samvat 2083 |
| 2025 | Tuesday, 21 October | 1:45 PM – 2:45 PM | Samvat 2082 |
| 2024 | Friday, 1 November | 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM | Samvat 2081 |
Frequently asked questions
Yes, only for the special Muhurat trading session. 8 November 2026 is a Sunday (Diwali Laxmi Pujan), and NSE and BSE open for one session from 2:20 PM to 3:30 PM IST, with a pre-open session from 2:05 PM.
Pre-open 2:05 PM to 2:20 PM and normal market 2:20 PM to 3:30 PM IST on Sunday, 8 November 2026, followed by the closing session.
Yes. NSE says all trades executed in the Muhurat session result in settlement obligations, the same as on a normal trading day.
No. Tuesday, 10 November 2026 (Diwali Balipratipada) is an NSE trading holiday. The market is open on Monday, 9 November.
Because Tuesday, 10 November is a holiday, the NIFTY weekly expiry moves one trading day earlier, to Monday, 9 November 2026.
See all NSE holidays 2026 and normal market hours.
More free tools
For information and education only — not investment advice. Please confirm contract details with your broker or the exchange before trading.