February 1 Budget to make it a working Sunday for stock market traders. BSE, NSE announce schedule – News Air Insight

In a rare instance, stock exchanges BSE and NSE have decided to keep the equity market open for trading on February 1 despite being a Sunday as Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman would present the Union Budget on that day.

Both BSE and NSE issued separate circulars today announcing that they will hold live trading sessions on Budget day. Timings would remain the same.

The pre-open market would open from 9 am till 9:08 am while normal trading will run from 9:15 am till 3:30 pm.

“Trading Members may note that trading in T+0 Settlement Session and Auction Session for settlement default will not be conducted on Sunday, February 01,2026,” BSE said in a circular.

Besides the equity segment, F&O and commodity derivatives would also be open on D-Day.

Stock markets are closed every Saturday and Sunday, besides some public holidays. It would probably be for the first time in recent memory that Dalal Street will get a working Sunday.

It is also for the first time since 2000 that the Union Budget would be presented in the Parliament on a Sunday. Earlier in 2025, Sitharaman had presented Budget on a Saturday, and Budget 2015, under Arun Jaitley, was also presented on Saturday on February 28, 2015.It is also for the first time since 2000 that the Union Budget would be presented in the Parliament on a Sunday. Earlier in 2025, Sitharaman had presented Budget on a Saturday, and Budget 2015, under Arun Jaitley, was also presented on Saturday on February 28, 2015.

Stock market holiday calendar

Besides weekends, BSE and NSE have 16 public holidays, including last Thursday’s holiday due to Mumbai civic polls. January 26 would be the second market holiday this month.

Key closures in the first half of the year include Holi on March 3, Ram Navami on March 26, Mahavir Jayanti on March 31 and Good Friday on April 3. Markets will also remain closed on Ambedkar Jayanti on April 14, Maharashtra Day on May 1, and Bakri Id on May 28.

In the latter half of the year, trading will be suspended on Muharram on June 26, Ganesh Chaturthi on September 14 and Gandhi Jayanti on October 2. This will be followed by Dussehra on October 20, Diwali Balipratipada on November 10, and Guru Nanak Jayanti on November 24. The final market holiday of 2026 will be Christmas on December 25.