NSE Trading Holidays for 2026 – The Complete Guide

The National Stock Exchange of India (NSE) has officially released its trading holiday calendar for 2026. This is a crucial piece of information for all investors, traders, and market participants for planning their strategies, managing settlement cycles, and handling derivatives expiry dates. In 2026, the NSE will observe 15 full trading holidays on account of various national and religious festivals. These NSE holidays apply to the Equity, Equity Derivatives, and Currency Derivatives segments. This article will cover the detailed list of NSE holidays, along with the list of holidays falling on Saturdays and Sundays, and more!

List of NSE Holidays 2026

The 15 Indian stock exchange holidays listed below on the list of NSE holidays 2026 are verified by the NSE circular as full trading closures for the Capital Market Segment (Equity, F&O, and Currency Derivatives):

List of Holidays Falling on Weekends (No Trading Impact)

The following four NSE holidays are on a Saturday or Sunday, meaning they do not result in a market closure:

Muhurat Trading in 2026

The traditional Muhurat Trading session is a special one-hour trading window held on the occasion of Diwali, and is confirmed for:

• Date: Sunday, 8th November 2026 (Diwali – Laxmi Pujan)
• Session Timing: To Be Notified Subsequently

Official Note on Timings: According to NSE Circular No. NSE/CMTR/71775, while the date for Muhurat Trading is confirmed as 8th November 2026, the specific market opening and closing times are not released in the annual holiday calendar.

• Historical Context: This session is traditionally conducted in the evening (usually between 6:00 PM and 7:15 PM IST).
• Action Item: Traders must wait for a separate circular, typically issued by the NSE in October 2026, for the exact schedule.

Summary of Market Timings for 2026

While the Muhurat time is pending, the Regular Market Timings for all other trading days in 2026 remain unchanged:

• Pre-Open Session: 9:00 AM – 9:08 AM
• Regular Trading (Open): 9:15 AM
• Regular Trading (Close): 3:30 PM

Commodity Derivatives Trading Holidays

Unlike the Equity segment, the Commodity Derivatives segment (trading Gold, Silver, Crude Oil, etc.) operates in two sessions:

• Morning Session: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
• Evening Session: 5:00 PM – 11:30 PM / 11:55 PM

In 2026, the indian stock exchange holidays are categorised into two types: Full Day Closures (both sessions closed) and Partial Closures (Morning closed, Evening open).

Full Day Closures (Both Sessions Closed)

On these 4 NSE holidays, no trading will take place in either the Morning or Evening sessions.

Partial Closures (Morning Closed, Evening Open)

On the following Indian stock exchange holidays, the Morning Session will be closed, but trading will resume in the Evening Session (5:00 PM onwards). This ensures domestic traders can react to international price movements during US market hours.

Note: The session-wise holiday schedule for the Commodity Derivatives Segment is based on historical market practice for domestic festivals (where the Evening Session remains open). These specific session times are not detailed in the general NSE Equity holiday circular (NSE/CMTR/71775). Traders should refer to the separate, final circular issued by the exchange for the Commodity Derivatives segment closer to the date.

Market Impact and Strategy Checklist for NSE Holidays 2026

What Happens to Derivatives (F&O) When Markets Close

Index and stock derivatives (Futures and Options) usually expire on the last Thursday of each contract month or week.

• Here’s the rule: When the scheduled expiry day (Thursday) is an NSE India holiday, they move the expiry to the day before – typically Wednesday.
• Real example from the calendar: Say a contract should expire on 26th March 2026 (Thursday – Shri Ram Navami). They’ll shift the expiry to 25th March 2026 (Wednesday) instead.

Settlement Gets Delayed (T+1)

Indian stock markets work on a T+1 settlement cycle. This means when you trade on Day ‘T’, you get your shares and money on the next working day, ‘T+1’.

• What this means for you: Any share market India holiday (weekends included) doesn’t count toward this timeline. So your settlement gets pushed back.
• Let’s look at the 1st May holiday: You sell shares on Thursday, 30th April. Normally, you’d get settled on Friday, 1st May (T+1). But 1st May is an NSE market holiday, so you won’t see your money until Monday, 4th May – the next working day.
• Plan accordingly: If you’re doing Buy Today, Sell Tomorrow (BTST) trades or need that sale money right away for another investment or withdrawal, these delays matter. Watch out especially when the National Stock Exchange holidays fall on Fridays or Mondays – that’s when the National Stock Exchange holidays will really affect your timing.

To Wrap It Up

The 2026 NSE holidays list is your planning tool for the year. This guide covers 15 weekday closures for the Equity segment and explains how the Commodity segment works differently on these days. Use this schedule when you’re planning trades for 2026. It’ll help you make better decisions, manage risks, and keep things running smoothly all year round.

Frequently Asked Questions About the NSE Holiday List in 2026