As cases dip, RBI advances trading hours of markets

Mumbai: In a sign of financial markets returning to normalcy, the RBI has extended the trading hours for the various entities it regulates.

“With the abatement of operational constraints, the trading hours were partially restored with effect from November 9, 2020. With the substantial easing of restrictions on the movement of people and functioning of offices, it has now been decided to restore the opening time for regulated financial markets to their pre-pandemic timing of 9am,” the central bank said.

Currently, RBI-regulated financial markets open at 10am since the outbreak of the pandemic. From April 18, the call and term money market will operate from 9am to 3.30pm. The other markets that will function during the same time as the money market include the repo in corporate bonds, government securities market, foreign exchange market, and rupee derivatives market.


The repo window for government securities will, however, be open only between 9 am and 2.30 pm. The extension is expected to give more depth to the markets. During the first Covid lockdown, trades were curtailed for four hours from 10am to 2pm.