Muhurat Trading 2026: Diwali Session Timings and Rules

Muhurat trading in 2026 will be held on Sunday, 8 November, the day of Diwali Laxmi Pujan. NSE and BSE have fixed the date but not the time; both say the timings will come in a separate circular. Every trade in the session is a normal trade and must be settled.

Key facts

What Muhurat trading is

“Muhurat” means an auspicious time. On Diwali the exchanges are shut for regular business, but they open for a short live session so investors can place their first trades of the new Samvat year. News On AIR reported that the 2025 session, held by BSE and NSE, marked the start of Samvat 2082. According to Groww, BSE began the practice in 1957 and NSE joined in 1992.

Many investors buy a few shares as a token of good luck. The session is still a real market, though. Prices move, orders match, and trades are binding.

2026 date and where the timing is announced

NSE’s holiday circular for 2026 lists 8 November as a Sunday holiday and adds: “Muhurat Trading will be conducted on Sunday, November 08, 2026. Timings of Muhurat Trading shall be notified subsequently.” BSE’s holiday page carries the same note.

The timing circular has come out at different points in past years. For 2025 it was issued on 22 September, about a month ahead. For 2024 it came on 19 October, 13 days before the session. We found no 2026 timing circular on NSE up to 16 September 2026.

To find it when it is issued:

1. Open the Circulars page under Exchange Communications on nseindia.com.
2. Search for “Muhurat Trading session on account of Diwali”.
3. Open the Capital Market (Equities) circular for share timings, and the Futures & Options circular for derivatives.
4. Check the Market Timings & Holidays page on nseindia.com, which also carries the note.
5. For BSE, check the notices section on bseindia.com. Your broker will usually send the timings by email or app notification too.

Our stock market basics guide explains order types and trading sessions if you are placing your first trade.

Session structure: what past circulars show

The session copies a normal trading day in miniature. Here is NSE’s equity schedule from the last two years:

Each part works as it does on a normal day:

A special pre-open session for IPO and relisted shares also ran in both years. The 2026 times may differ, so treat this table as a guide to structure, not to timing.

Settlement and obligations

NSE’s circulars state: “All trades executed in this Diwali Muhurat trading session shall result in settlement obligations.” A purchase in the session must be paid for, and a sale must be backed by shares in your demat account.

Settlement follows the normal T+1 cycle, adjusted for holidays. In 2025 the next day, 22 October, was itself a holiday. NSE Clearing therefore settled the Muhurat trades on 23 October, alongside the trades of 20 October. In 2026 the Muhurat Sunday is followed by a trading day (Monday, 9 November) and then a holiday on 10 November. NSE Clearing will publish the exact settlement schedule in its own circular.

Gains and losses from the session are taxed like any other trade. Our page on taxation on stocks and F&O covers the rates.

Segments and order types allowed

In 2025 NSE issued separate Muhurat circulars for equities, futures and options, currency derivatives, commodity derivatives, securities lending and borrowing, and the debt request-for-quote platform. The F&O normal market ran 1:45 pm to 2:45 pm, with trade modification allowed until 2:55 pm.

The circulars set session times, not order-type rules, so the usual order types for each session apply. Limit orders are the safer choice in a short, thin session because prices can jump. Brokers set their own rules for intraday positions, including the time they square off open trades before the session ends. Check your broker’s Muhurat notice before you place an intraday or F&O order.

Frequently asked questions

When is Muhurat trading in 2026?

On Sunday, 8 November 2026, the day of Diwali Laxmi Pujan, according to NSE and BSE holiday lists.

What is the Muhurat trading time for 2026?

It had not been announced as of 16 September 2026. NSE and BSE will notify it through a circular before Diwali.

How long does Muhurat trading last?

The normal market ran for one hour in both 2024 and 2025. Block deal, pre-open and closing sessions add time on either side.

Are Muhurat trades settled like normal trades?

Yes. NSE’s circulars say every trade in the session results in settlement obligations, under the usual T+1 cycle adjusted for holidays.

Can I trade futures and options during Muhurat trading?

Yes. In 2025 NSE’s F&O segment traded from 1:45 pm to 2:45 pm during the session.

Is the stock market open on 10 November 2026?

No. Tuesday, 10 November is a trading holiday for Diwali Balipratipada.

Sources

• Trading holidays for the calendar year 2026, circular NSE/CMTR/71775 — National Stock Exchange of India (checked 16 Sep 2026)
• Trading Holidays — BSE (checked 16 Sep 2026)
• Exchange Communications: Circulars — National Stock Exchange of India (checked 16 Sep 2026)
• Muhurat Trading session on account of Diwali 2025, circular NSE/CMTR/70319 — National Stock Exchange of India (checked 16 Sep 2026)
• Muhurat Trading session 2025 (F&O), circular NSE/FAOP/70320 — National Stock Exchange of India (checked 16 Sep 2026)
• Muhurat Trading session on account of Diwali 2024, circular NSE/CMTR/64628 — National Stock Exchange of India (checked 16 Sep 2026)
• Timings on Muhurat Trading session 2025, circular NCL/CMPT/70409 — NSE Clearing (checked 16 Sep 2026)
• Diwali Muhurat trading: Sensex crosses 84,400 — News On AIR (Prasar Bharati) (checked 16 Sep 2026)
• Muhurat Trading 2025 timings and sessions — Groww (checked 16 Sep 2026)