As the final days of 2025 approach, a unique opportunity emerges for investors in India. While major financial hubs across the globe will shut down to ring in the New Year, India's premier stock exchanges will remain open for business, providing a rare window for trading activity.
NSE and BSE Defy Global Holiday Trend
In a significant departure from the global norm, both the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and the National Stock Exchange (NSE) will conduct trading as usual on December 31, 2025, and January 1, 2026. This decision stands in stark contrast to the closures announced by key international markets. Investors in China, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, France, Germany, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States will all be observing the holiday, leaving Indian markets as one of the few major platforms active during this period.
2026 Trading Holiday Calendar Released
The NSE has proactively published its official holiday schedule for the 2026 calendar year, offering crucial advance planning information for traders and institutions. The schedule reveals that equity, equity derivatives, and currency markets will be closed for a total of 15 days in 2026, which is one day more than the number of holidays observed in 2025.
The key market holidays for the first half of the year are as follows:
- Republic Day: January 26
- Holi: March 3
- Ram Navami: March 26
- Mahavir Jayanti: March 31
- Good Friday: April 3
- Ambedkar Jayanti: April 14
- Maharashtra Day: May 1
- Bakri-Id: May 28
The second half of 2026 will see closures on these dates:
- Muharram: June 26
- Ganesh Chaturthi: September 14
- Gandhi Jayanti: October 2
- Dussehra: October 20
- Diwali Balipratipada: November 10
- Guru Nanak Jayanti: November 24
- Christmas: December 25
Market Timing and Session Structure
On regular trading days, including December 31 and January 1, the market follows a structured timetable. The activity begins with a pre-market session from 9:00 AM to 9:15 AM IST. This is followed by the continuous trading session, which runs from 9:15 AM to 3:30 PM IST. This standard schedule provides a consistent framework for all market participants.
The decision to keep exchanges open during a widespread global holiday underscores the operational resilience of India's financial infrastructure. It allows domestic and eligible international investors to adjust their portfolios, react to any late-year developments, and position themselves for the start of the new calendar year without interruption. Traders are advised to factor in potential lower liquidity due to the absence of major foreign markets, but the opportunity for exclusive access to the Indian market remains a notable feature of the year-end schedule.
