Why is the stock market open today? Timing, what to expect and key things to know

Investors and traders are finding no respite from the election heat, with exchanges even holding a special trading session today.

Both the equity cash and derivative markets will function in two sessions today.

This is the third instance this year, where the market remained open on a weekend, despite it being a usual holiday. Earlier, a similar special trading session was held on a Saturday in January and then again in March.


There have been few other instances in previous years where trading was conducted from the disaster recovery site in 2016 and 2017.

All you need to know about the special trading session:

Why is the special session being held

Apart from the calendar holidays, exchanges are usually closed on weekends. However, they have the discretion to conduct special trading sessions on rare occasions.

The current special live trading session is being done according to Sebi guidelines, which mandate testing of preparedness for handling unexpected disasters from the main trading centre in Mumbai.

Also Read: Weekend trouble! Third working Saturday for stock market traders in 2024 this week

Timings

The special session shall be divided into two segments. In the first part, the market will open for normal trading at 9:15 am and end at 10 am.

The second session, which will be conducted from the disaster recovery site, will begin from 11:30 am and end at 12:30 pm.

Price Band

All securities, including those on which derivative products are available, will have a maximum price band of 5%. Securities already in the 2% or lower price band will continue to be available in the respective bands.

The special live trading session is being done according to Sebi guidelines, which mandate testing of preparedness for handling unexpected disasters from the main trading centre in Mumbai.

What to expect from the session:

Positive global cues and rotational participation from index heavyweights have helped the markets climb higher on Friday even though a clear momentum is missing.

Analysts thus recommend maintaining a "buy on dips" strategy, with a focus on stock selection. The volumes are likely to be low given the curtailed trading timings.