The Indian equity market's normal trading session runs from 9:15 AM to 3:30 PM IST, Monday to Friday, with equity derivatives (F&O) trading until 3:40 PM. A short pre-open session runs just before it, and the market stays closed on weekends and on declared exchange holidays.
What are the main sessions in a trading day?
A regular equity trading day on the NSE and BSE is split into a few parts:
- Pre-open session. 9:00 AM to 9:15 AM. Orders are collected and a single opening price is discovered before continuous trading begins. Learn more in what the Special Pre-Open Session is.
- Normal (continuous) session. 9:15 AM to 3:30 PM. This is the main trading window for the cash market, where buy and sell orders match continuously in real time. Equity derivatives (F&O) trade until 3:40 PM, ten minutes past the cash market.
- Post-close session, after 3:30 PM. A brief window where certain orders can be placed at the day's closing price.
Some stocks also settle their closing price through a Closing Auction Session (CAS).
Can I place an order outside market hours?
Yes. You can place an After Market Order (AMO) when the market is closed, and it's queued for the next trading session rather than executed immediately. See can I place after-market-hours orders.
Is the market open on weekends and holidays?
No. The equity market is closed on Saturdays and Sundays and on the exchange holidays declared each year. See the share market holiday calendar for the current list. On rare occasions the exchanges hold a special session (for example, a Muhurat trading session on Diwali); those are announced in advance.
Do other segments follow the same hours?
Mostly, but not entirely. Equity F&O follows the same 9:15 AM start as the cash market and runs ten minutes longer, to 3:40 PM. Other segments, such as commodities and currency, trade on their own timings. This article covers the equity market hours.
Things to keep in mind
- All times are IST (Indian Standard Time).
- Exchange timings and session rules are set by the exchanges and can change. Always treat the hours above as the standard schedule, not a guarantee for a specific day.
- Prices you see before 9:15 AM come from the pre-open session, not continuous trading, so they can move once the normal session starts.
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