Muhurat trading 2026: Date, time, settlement rules, and other key things to know

Keeping up with the annual tradition marking the beginning of Samvat 2083, or the new Hindu financial year, stock exchanges BSE and NSE, and commodity exchange MCX will conduct the special Diwali Muhurat trading session this Sunday, November 8.

Muhurat Trading is an age-old Diwali tradition that involves a short one-hour trading session marked by low volumes. Investors trade during this auspicious start of the new financial year, which coincides with Lakshmi Puja across several parts of the country.

When will Muhurat Trading 2026 take place?

BSE and the National Stock Exchange (NSE) announced last month that the special market trading window for Muhurat Trading will begin at 2.20 pm on Sunday, November 8, and run until 3.30 pm.


Unlike regular trading days, when the equity market operates between 9:15 am and 3:30 pm, Muhurat Trading takes place during a shortened special session. This year's session will be held on a Sunday.

Also read | Muhurat Trading 2026: BSE, NSE announce date and timings of special session. Check details

The pre-open session will begin at 2:05 pm, with order entry for both limit and market orders permitted until 2:10 pm. Only limit orders will be accepted between 2:10 pm and 2:15 pm. The order matching and confirmation period is scheduled from 2:15 pm to 2:17 pm, followed by a buffer period until 2:20 pm, after which the market will open and regular trading begins. The exchanges have scheduled continuous trading from 2:20 pm to 3:30 pm, although closing-auction processes will begin during the latter part of this window.

MCX will hold its special session from 2:05 pm to 2.19 pm, while the trading session will run from 2.20 pm to 3.30 pm. The commodity exchange pointed out that contracts of all commodities and indices will be available for trading.

Muhurat trading 2026: Special session for IPO and newly listed stocks

BSE also announced separate timings for securities eligible for the special pre-open session, including IPO and re-listed stocks. Order entry for these securities will begin at 2:05 pm and continue until 2:50 pm, followed by an order matching period from 2:50 pm to 3:05 pm. Continuous trading for these securities is scheduled between 3:05 pm and 3:30 pm.

For stocks covered under the periodic call auction mechanism, the order entry period will run from 2:25 pm to 3:10 pm, followed by matching between 3:10 pm and 3:20 pm. The closing auction schedule will begin at 3:15 pm, with reference price calculations and subsequent order entry and matching periods extending until 3:35 pm.

The BSE said the closing reference price for securities eligible for the closing auction session would be calculated using the volume-weighted average price of trades executed between 3 pm and 3:15 pm.

Also read | NSE, BSE to hold Diwali Muhurat trading on November 8

What is Muhurat Trading?

The age-old tradition of Muhurat Trading was initiated by the Bombay Stock Exchange in 1957, and has been continued by the National Stock Exchange (NSE) since 1992. Traditionally, brokers performed Chopda Pujan, a ritualistic worship of account books, during this session to mark the auspicious start of the new financial year.

Muhurat Trading session typically coincides with Lakshmi Puja, where investors pray to Goddess Lakshmi for wealth and prosperity before placing trades.

Muhurat Trading 2026: Settlement & delivery

All trades executed during this Diwali Muhurat trading session shall result in settlement obligations as per norms. NSE, in its circular, pointed out that T+1 deals can be cancelled or modified till 5 pm on settlement day.

Also read | What investment mistakes should investors avoid this Diwali? Experts share 5 lessons

Disclaimer: This article has been written by Debaroti Adhikary, who is not a SEBI-registered Research Analyst or an Investment Adviser. Debaroti Adhikary and his/her ‘relative(s)’ (as defined under Section 2(77) of the Companies Act, 2013) do not hold any financial interest in the companies mentioned in this article as of the date of publication. The views/recommendations mentioned in this article, wherever applicable, are those of the respective SEBI-registered Research Analyst/brokerage and have been reproduced/reported with due attribution. They should not be construed as the views or recommendations of The Economic Times Digital or the journalist. Readers are advised to consider the original research report and make their investment decisions based on their own assessment. Brokerage disclaimers here.