Budget 2026: MCX, NCDEX to stay open on Sunday, February 1. Check timings
MCX, NCDEX, NSE and BSE will open for a special Sunday trading session on February 1 during the Union Budget 2026, marking only the second time Indian markets trade on a Sunday, with standard timings and live market activity.
By Shivendra Kumar, ETMarkets.com |
Agencies
The Multi Commodity Exchange of India (MCX) will remain open for trading on Sunday, February 1 in a special session because the government will present the Union Budget 2026. The exchange will conduct a live trading session as per the standard market timings.
The agri index, National Commodity & Derivatives Exchange (NCDEX) will also conduct its live trading session on this non-business day.
The exchanges informed about the opening via a January 16 circular.
Both exchanges were open during the 2025 budget, which fell on a Saturday.
Normal market: Between 9 am and 5 pm
Client Code Modification Session: 9 am to 5:15 pm
Pre-Open session will start from 9:45 a.m.
Client code modifications will be allowed from 10 am to 5:15 pm
This is the second instance in the history of independent India that stock markets will be open for trading on a Sunday. The last time they were open on Sunday was on February 28, 1999 under the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government.
FM Sitharaman is set to present her ninth consecutive Union Budget this time, with anticipation of a double-digit growth in the capex. She will deliver the budget speech at 11 am.
The equity exchanges NSE and BSE will also be open for trading according to standard market timings.
Traditionally, the budget day has been a non-event for the domestic stock markets against the usual hype. The last 15 years data suggests Nifty's average Budget day move is a negligible 0.19%, while the week after the event has delivered returns seven times larger.
The official trading holiday calendar for 2026 released by the exchanges lists 15 full trading holidays during the year, along with details of holidays that fall on weekends and the annual Muhurat Trading session.
(Disclaimer: The recommendations, suggestions, views, and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of The Economic Times.)
The agri index, National Commodity & Derivatives Exchange (NCDEX) will also conduct its live trading session on this non-business day.
The exchanges informed about the opening via a January 16 circular.
Both exchanges were open during the 2025 budget, which fell on a Saturday.
MCX trading timings on February 1, 2026
The pre-open session will be conducted between 8:45 am and 8:59 amNormal market: Between 9 am and 5 pm
Client Code Modification Session: 9 am to 5:15 pm
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NCDEX trading timings
The trading timings will be from 10 am to 5 pm.Pre-Open session will start from 9:45 a.m.
Client code modifications will be allowed from 10 am to 5:15 pm
This is the second instance in the history of independent India that stock markets will be open for trading on a Sunday. The last time they were open on Sunday was on February 28, 1999 under the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government.
FM Sitharaman is set to present her ninth consecutive Union Budget this time, with anticipation of a double-digit growth in the capex. She will deliver the budget speech at 11 am.
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The equity exchanges NSE and BSE will also be open for trading according to standard market timings.
Traditionally, the budget day has been a non-event for the domestic stock markets against the usual hype. The last 15 years data suggests Nifty's average Budget day move is a negligible 0.19%, while the week after the event has delivered returns seven times larger.
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The official trading holiday calendar for 2026 released by the exchanges lists 15 full trading holidays during the year, along with details of holidays that fall on weekends and the annual Muhurat Trading session.
(Disclaimer: The recommendations, suggestions, views, and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of The Economic Times.)
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